


X Marks the Spot

by Xenobia



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bottom Hange, Bottom Levi, Drama, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Oral Sex, Pegging, Romance, Top Hange, Top Levi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-27
Updated: 2016-07-17
Packaged: 2018-05-29 09:04:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply, Underage
Chapters: 13
Words: 97,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6368503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xenobia/pseuds/Xenobia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hange is the only one that knows Levi's secret. As an alpha female, she can't really relate to what it must be like for someone like Levi to be an omega, but as his friend, she's vowed to protect his secret and help him when he needs relief from heat cycles. Het, Omegaverse, Levihan</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This idea came to me from out of nowhere. I really enjoyed writing "Practicing Restraint" and wanted to revisit that kind of sexual dynamic between the two of them, but with a twist. It seemed like a unique plot idea, so I ran with it. A further note about this story: It will diverge from typical canon a bit, though it's set in the canon universe. The Levi Squad is still alive, Reiner and Bertholt went missing before graduation from the military academy, and the Female Titan events haven't occurred. I haven't decided whether the beast titan will even make an appearance in this, so this is essentially an AU but set in the canon world. Also of note is that in this particular omegaverse story, alpha females can only impregnate omega or beta females, as far as history knows. Alpha females are also unable to conceive, themselves.

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters or this world. I make no profit from writing this. It is for free entertainment purposes only._

* * *

Levi lay on his side, trembling and panting and sweating. Hange stroked his sweat-dampened, undercut black hair with gentle fingers, whispering soothing words to him as the omega recovered from the relief she'd given him. She told him that he was beautiful, that he was her dearest friend, that he didn't need to feel embarrassed. She did this each and every time they had these encounters, reassuring him that he could let go with her and that nothing would change.

"Levi," Hange whispered, watching closely at the contraction and expansion of his pupils as the mating swoon began to fade. The warm light from the lamp on her bedside table caressed his pale features like a lover, and Hange smiled. He really was cute when he was dumbfounded and helpless. Hange would never dare tell him so. That would be insulting to such a prideful man.

"Are you back yet, grouchy?"

He tilted his head back on the pillow, and his piercing, sleepy gaze finally settled on the features of the alpha female leaning over him. He briefly closed his eyes, bit his lower lip and nodded with a sigh.

"Yeah. I'm here. Took me a minute, this time."

"I can see that." Hange couldn't help but grin. There was a certain feeling of pride to go with fondness. She'd given this man something that he would never have asked from anyone else. Still, being Hange, she couldn't resist a little teasing. "Need another shot? After all, I've literally got no downtime."

Levi glanced down at the device still strapped around the scientist's nude hips. "I think you'd fuck me to death if I let you."

"Maybe." Hange traced a finger down Levi's heaving, toned chest. "But then I might lose my best friend. Where's the fun in that?"

"I'm your _only_ friend," reminded the omega with a little grunt. He sat up, and he sighed as he looked over the mess. "I'll wash your bedding."

"Stop doing that." Hange's teasing mood faded. She cupped Levi's sharp chin with a fond little pinch, and she rubbed a hawkish nose against his sweetly shaped smaller one. "I've told you already; I don't care. We don't live in a sterile world, you little shit."

"Right, we live in a filthy world filled with blood and death," sighed Levi. He reached up with both hands to comb his fingers through his hair, getting his mussed bangs out of his eyes in the process. He looked up at Hange thoughtfully, breathing finally slowing to a more bearable level. "I've got a question for you."

"Okay." Hange released his chin, planting her hand on the expanse of his chest. Damn, he really did have a nice chest. Nice everything, honestly. She resisted the temptation to stroke her fingertips over the familiar marks branded into his pale skin from his ODM gear harness. "I probably have an answer."

"You've been doing this for me for what...about six months now?"

Hange shrugged. "Give or take."

"So what do you get out of it?"

She smiled at him. "I'm surprised you need to ask, by now. I get the satisfaction of knowing that my friend is safe, and won't be forced into a mating bond he doesn't want due to circumstance of nature. I also get the satisfaction of knowing I'm keeping the best fucking soldier in our ranks firmly in place where he belongs. The Survey Corps needs you, Levi, and you're surrounded by alphas."

"Tch...let's not get dramatic," advised Levi. "I don't think you, Erwin and Mike constitutes 'surrounded', shitty glasses."

Hange's smile dropped, and she became serious as she gazed into his eyes. "Three is enough. This was a close one, grump. You didn't use the spray I gave you to mask the pheromone scent, and with a nose like Mike's, you can't afford to get lax."

Levi grimaced slightly. "Hey, it was a busy day. Erwin dropped all that fucking paperwork on my head. I didn't have time to spritz myself by mid-day."

"You should _make_ time," insisted Hange. "Levi, you came to me because you didn't want the Scouts finding out you were an omega, and with good reason. I'm still flattered to the core that you've trusted me enough to let me help you, but you have got to be more careful."

"I think my record should more than speak for itself, by now," he grumbled.

Sensing the disgruntlement in his tone, Hange sympathized. Alpha though she was, she knew a little something about having to beat the odds and break through more barriers than others simply due to reproductive makeup. Hange was the only female squad leader in the scouts besides Nanaba. If she were an omega on top of that, she doubted she would have the rank of squad commander right now.

"Yes, it should," Hange agreed after a moment of thought. "We sadly don't live in that sort of society, sweetheart. I know it sticks in your craw, but on the bright side, you are the captain of your own elite, special forces squad. Yes, if they found out the truth now it might not make a difference, thanks to your kill record and the tactical brilliance you've demonstrated."

Hange sighed, and she lowered her head to rub her nose against his again. "But there's an equal chance they would favor biological prejudice over deeds, Ackerman. I don't want to see that happen to you, so just don't tempt fate. I like my tiny captain just where he is; watching the platoon's back and taking out threats that would flatten us if it weren't for him and his team."

Levi kept his gaze steady on hers. "Fine. I'll be more careful. Do you at least get off when we do this, though?"

Hange found that to be such a ridiculous question that she laughed, low and husky. "Oh my dear, really? You can't tell I have fun?"

He shrugged tight-muscled shoulders. "It's hard to tell. You hoot and holler with excitement every time you fight or make a new discovery. I don't know if you're coming or just thrilled that you're making me come."

"Try both." Hange dropped her face to his chest and snickered into it. "Oh, you insecure little shit. Trust me, I came quite a few times while I was putting it to you tonight. If you think I'm just doing you a favor without getting any pleasure from it, you're extremely wrong."

Levi looked away, cheeks flushing a bit. "Okay. Just making sure. I don't know much about how female alpha bodies work, and we're not exactly doing it the way—"

"The way betas of opposing gender usually do it?" Finished Hange for him, still grinning. "Levi, don't forget that I've never been the 'norm' by anyone's standards, and I designed this fellow specifically for you, after all." She reached down and patted her strap on, still slick from fucking him.

Levi grimaced a little as he looked down at the phallic device still secured to Hange's pelvis via the harness she'd designed. "Still can't believe you made that thing just for me." His gaze drifted, fixated on Hange's small, pert breasts, and then looked away. "I figured you just wanted the challenge."

"Actually, I'm rather proud of how 'Hange Junior' turned out." She pouted a little at him. "You can't tell me you don't appreciate it. I think I've perfected the knotting function, judging by how hard you always come once I employ that feature."

He squirmed a little, and he tugged the sheets over himself in a gesture that was clearly unconscious. The shy action made Hange want to pinch his cheeks. Nobody else ever got to see this side of the volatile, foul-mouthed little demon. Levi was always so in control of himself in front of others, but for his profanities and blatantly insulting way of addressing others when he thought they were doing something stupid. Those sculpted features of his always appeared bored, yet calculating. Even when slaying titans, he never gave away his emotions. The Levi in her bed right now was a rather different man from the one everyone else typically saw in the field.

"Okay, we've talked about your dildo and how great it is," he mumbled. "Only you could actually design one that mimics an alpha cock's behavior. Bravo."

"Why thank you." Hange took it as a compliment, despite the evident sarcasm in his voice. Levi always seemed to resent it a little when she relieved his heat and left him so vulnerable. Poor thing considered it a weakness to be brought to his knees by his biological urges and sexual pleasure. She didn't bother trying to remind him that it was nothing to be ashamed of. Levi Ackerman would probably always resent his omega needs and reactions. Instead of trying to convince him there was no shame in his nature, she chose encouragement.

"Just remember what I said, Levi. We need you, each and every one of us. You're important to this squadron, and that isn't going to change."

"Yeah, yeah," he mumbled. His eyes drifted shut, and he sighed.

"Why don't you just sleep here tonight?" suggested Hange softly. She stroked his hair affectionately. "You can sneak out in the morning. I know you're worn out and you need to recover."

He opened his eyes again, and he shook his head. With a little grunt, he sat up in the bed, and he started looking around for his discarded clothes. "Thanks, but I'd better get to my own quarters."

Hange shrugged, used to him taking off as soon as he gathered enough wits to stand on his own feet at the end of these encounters. "Okay. Your boots are by the door."

Levi got out of the bed, and he started to put his pants on. "Fuck, the ass of these are still wet. It looks like I pissed myself backwards or something."

Hange laughed into her pillow, trying to muffle it but failing. She cleared her throat and got on her knees to unfasten her strap-on device. "Oh, oops." Her knee had pressed down on the inflation bladder connected to the dildo, pumping it up at the tip to create a knot. She cussed a little and she shifted off of it. Glancing up from her task of removing the device, she saw that Levi was staring her up and down.

"Are you sure you don't need one more round, darling?" she asked, lips curving into a confident little smirk.

Levi blinked, and he tore his gaze off of her tall, harness-striped form. "No, I'm good. Thanks. Just trying to figure out how I'm gonna get down the hallway to my quarters without anyone noticing...this."

Hange looked at the pants he held up to the lamplight, and she could see the problem. Indeed, there was a huge wet spot on the backside of them from Levi's slick. "Wow, that's pretty obvious. And I thought it sucked to spot up mine when I get my period. If I had a puddle that size on my pants, someone might think I got stabbed up the—"

"Oi, oi," he interrupted, flushing, "I don't need to hear more. Just help me figure out how to cover this shit up long enough to get back to my own room without attracting attention."

"Oh, of course." Hange bit her lip, and she retrieved her glasses from the bedside table. She looked around at her rather plain surroundings. She didn't decorate her quarters like some officers. She had only the basics, because she honestly spent more time in the lab than in her private room. There was the bed, the two side tables each with lanterns sitting on them, her trunk of personal belongings a dresser and a deceased, potted plant in the corner by the door that she still hadn't bothered disposing of.

"Okay, I have an idea. Just wear my robe and carry your clothes with you."

Still buck naked, she discarded her strap on and got out of the bed to fetch the brown robe hanging on the wall. She tossed it to Levi, accidentally flinging it right on top of his head. "Here, short stuff. This should do. Oh, we should clean you up a bit first, shouldn't we?" She usually wiped him down after seeing to his needs, but their conversation had distracted her.

Levi sputtered a bit, and he dropped his pants to tug the robe off of his head and look at it. "It's going to drag the floor. People won't believe it's mine."

"Then belt it up to take up the slack," suggested Hange readily. "Just gather it up a little. You only need to get down the hall and it's fairly late. I doubt you'll run into anyone on the way between my quarters and yours, dear."

"Huh. Yeah, I guess I can try that." Levi slipped the robe on, and he began to manipulate the material as he closed it around him to conceal his nudity.

"Shame to cover up such a nice physique," stated Hange in all honesty as the captain's fair, athletic body was hidden from her gaze. Fuck, Levi was built nice. She could appreciate him as a male specimen on a purely aesthetic level, even after having sexual relations with him. "You know Levi, if I had an ounce of artistic talent, I'd ask you to let me paint you nude."

"Good thing you can't paint or draw, then," he muttered. He tied off the robe and he looked up at her as she approached. "How's this?"

"I think you're good. Oh, wait a minute...turn around. You need to tug it up a little in the back."

He complied, and Hange pulled up a little more slack for him on the backside so that the hem was evenly covering him to the ankle. "Okay. I think this is as good as it's going to get."

Levi gathered up his clothing, folding it neatly as he did so. "Check outside to be sure nobody's in the hall to see me leave, would you?"

Hange did as he asked. The biggest risk was in Mike or Erwin being up and about. Even if they were clear across the hallway, she had little doubt they would be able to detect the lingering, sweet scent of Levi's heat. The only reason she wasn't losing her shit over it herself was because Hange regularly took her own version of suppressants to control her alpha hormones. She was protected from Levi's pheromones, but her male counterparts were not. She hadn't yet discovered a formula that would do for male alphas what hers did for her.

"Okay Levi; you're clear. Skidaddle while the getting's good."

He came up beside her as she cracked the door open, and as the flickering torchlight from the corridor highlighted Hange's nude form, Levi paused to look her up and down again. It made Hange feel a little fluttery inside. They were friends, and while Levi obviously found her pleasing enough to come to her for heat relief, he didn't often gaze at her this way. Again, she wondered if he needed more.

"Levi, are you sure you're okay now?"

He looked away. "Yeah. Thanks, four eyes."

She smiled. "You bet. You can always come to me."

He nodded. "I know," he said simply, and then he passed through the open doorway into the hall. "Just make sure you wash that thing off when you can."

"You don't need to remind me," she chuckled. "I'd never use it on you when it's not clean. I might be grubby in your eyes, but I keep our little toy immaculate for you. You know that."

"Tch. That thing isn't 'little'," he mumbled.

"Well of course it isn't," agreed Hange casually. "I designed it according to alpha proportions and how big I'd actually be if I were male. The trick is—"

"Okay, okay," he interjected. "I get it. You'd have a big cock if you were a guy. Understood."

Hange grinned. "Indeed. You're so cute when you blush."

"Whatever. Goodnight, shitty glasses."

"Goodnight, grump." Hange shut the door, leaving her friend to find his way back to his quarters.

* * *

The next day, Levi applied the pheromone blocking spray to his body before going to the men's bathroom. He checked to be sure none of the male alphas were in there before going in to take a bath. Eren Jaeger was there with Connie Springer and Eld Jinn, the three of them already soaking together in one of the large stone baths built into the floor. The other one across from it was empty, and Levi disrobed before heading to it.

"Captain, why don't you join us?" Eld invited as Levi began to step into the cool water. The blond's light chest hair was clinging to his skin, water drops smattering his shoulders, arms and chest. He had his shoulder-length hair tied up in a complete bun—which looked a little funny to Levi. "We added some heated water to this one. It's nice and warm."

"I don't know why you bother asking," Levi said to his second-in-command. "You know I don't bathe with other people if I can help it, blondie."

"Right," sighed Eld. "Germaphobe."

When Levi glared at him, Eld looked properly contrite and horrified for speaking his thoughts out loud. "I apologize, sir."

Levi shrugged, avoiding a wince as he started to sit down on the raised area at the edge of the bath. He really hated the initial adjustment to temperature when he got into a bath that wasn't heated. His junk shriveled as it came into contact with the cool water, protesting the submersion. "I don't care if you think I'm a germaphobe. You're probably right. Not a good idea to point it out to your superior, though, just on principle of respect."

"Yes sir," agreed Eld, flushing.

Meanwhile, both Eren and Connie were watching Levi with a curious sort of interest. Eren looked down at his own half-submerged nudity, and he poked himself in the stomach. "Um, Captain Levi?" said the shifter in a shy voice.

"What is it?" Levi grunted a little as he finished sinking down into the bath, and he rested his arms on the rim with a sigh, trying to relax and adjust. He tilted his head back against the edge and shut his eyes.

"Could you show me your workout routine sometime? You must have a special method. I'd like abs like yours, if it's okay to say so."

Levi turned his head, opened his eyes and skewered the boy with his cool gaze. "What?"

"Y-your abs," stuttered Eren, flushing. Beside him, Connie pretended to be very interested in a crack in the ceiling, and he was muttering to Eren to quit while he was ahead. The young shifter's openly curious green eyes didn't waver though, despite his apparent realization that he might be crossing a line. "I meant it as a compliment, sir. I just wonder how you...I mean, you're built like...uh..."

"A brick shithouse," supplied Eld helpfully. The blond chuckled softly and leaned back with a shake of his head. "Don't go there, kid. Ah, too late, though. You already did it. At least you took the heat off me."

Levi didn't blink or release his vice-like gaze on Eren. "You coming onto me or something, Jaeger?"

"No!" Eren almost shouted, and then he quieted his voice, his face now cherry bright with mortification. "No sir, Captain. I just wanted to know what you do to be so um...you know..."

"Built," Connie muttered. The shaven-haired teen abruptly ducked beneath the water in a show of washing his hair—of which he had little to none to wash in the first place.

Levi snorted, and he turned his head away and closed his eyes again. "First of all, you couldn't handle my workout routine, kid. Secondly, you brats still have some growing to do. Yeah, you're old enough to fight titans, but you've still got a few years before you've filled out. Your muscles aren't finished developing. I used to be as scrawny as you are."

"Oh. Eren looked at Eld. "Well Squad Commander Jinn is an adult, and he's not built like you are."

"I'm right fucking here, kid," Eld growled.

"Uh, sorry!" Eren sank down into the water until he was submerged to the chin, vivid eyes flicking between Levi and Eld. "I didn't mean any offense!"

Connie came back up sputtering. "What'd I miss? Eren, why do you look like a turtle? What'd you say this time?"

"Just flapping his jaws when he shouldn't," Eld chuckled. "Damn, Eren. I thought I was bad."

"Sorry," Eren muttered again.

"Look, we aren't going to keep up with the captain," advised Eld, amusement plain in his tone. "The only guys in our squad that can are the commander and Mike. Hey Captain, don't kill me for asking, but are you an alpha? Some of us have been wondering."

Levi was stricken by an attack of blended amusement, as well as some bitterness. "Heh...heh, heh...an alpha, huh?"

If only Eld and whomever else was speculating knew the truth and the irony.

"Sir, did you just _laugh_?" Eld looked frankly amazed as Levi turned his head towards the trio again to regard him.

"Nope. I don't laugh." Levi forced his expression into its usual deadpan mask. "Why, do you think your question was funny?"

"No sir," assured Eld, now blushing almost as deeply as Eren. "Just figured I'd ask, since we're in the neighborhood of the subject."

"Hmm." Levi sighed and rested his head back again. "No, I'm not an alpha. You and the other gossip queens can put that rumor to rest."

Levi didn't even listen to Eld's stammered response. He straightened up and he reached for the soap cake and the sponge to begin lathering up, scrubbing his skin until it was pink. As he ran his fingertips over a nipple in the process, it pebbled and his thoughts went to the previous evening. Unbidden, the memory of what it had felt like to have Hange's tongue circling that very spot came to mind, and he was suddenly glad to be submerged in cool water.

* * *

A week came and went, and Erwin called for an officer's meeting to discuss the next expedition. The directive was to establish another supply base between Wall Rose and Wall Maria. They still weren't even close to their goal to reclaim the latter, and the two suspected shifters responsible for the fall of Shigonshina and Trost were still somewhere on the loose. They still had no idea who they were or what their mission was, aside from destroying humanity. Erwin stood before the blackboard and he waited for everyone to take their seats before beginning. Levi automatically sat beside Hange, and he crossed his booted ankles over one another and leaned back in his chair casually, folding his arms over his chest.

"Hey you," whispered Hange to him. "I haven't seen you around much since I got back."

Levi glanced sidelong at her. "You walked right past me in the courtyard this afternoon, idiot."

Hange blinked her russet eyes, her glasses glinting in the evening sunlight slanting through the windows of the meeting room. "I did? Where at?"

"The c-o-u-r-t-y-a-r-d," repeated Levi slowly as if speaking to a moron. "Are you blind _and_ deaf, shit-glasses?"

She bit her lip and winced. "Sheesh, I'm sorry. I guess I was just focused on getting my horse stabled and making it to this meeting on time."

Levi's irritation with her faded. Her eyes were bloodshot, and there were dark shadows under them. She still had road dust on her garments and she looked even messier than usual. She'd been researching her titan subjects non-stop since their capture, and it wasn't a short jaunt from the facility they were being kept in to the keep that now served as Survey Corps headquarters.

"Tired?" guessed Levi softly, his brows pinching a bit with the observation.

Hange sighed. "I'm beyond tired. I don't even know the meaning of the word anymore. Tired is what I was three days ago. Now I'm something I can't even define."

Levi lowered his gaze, uncrossing his ankles. "You going to make it through this mission briefing, or do you need to take a time out and a recap later?"

"Oh, I'll be fine." Hange gave him a weak smile. She started to say something else, but then Erwin cleared his throat politely in his subtle way of requesting silence. She snapped her mouth shut and sat up straighter.

"All right then," Erwin said, his chiseled features falling into a commanding and businesslike expression. "We are all here. First, I would like to thank you all for coming; particularly you, Zoë. I realize it was an inconvenience to be pulled from your research to travel all this way."

Hange spread her hands and grinned as the other officers glanced her way automatically. "That's what we're here for, isn't it? I have to stop my prodding sooner or later and be part of the team, sir."

Erwin favored her with a brief smile of approval, his blue gaze warming slightly. "Yes, indeed. We're glad to have you here. Ness, please bring the formation chart up."

Dita quickly approached, holding a long, rolled up parchment in one hand. He clipped it to the top of the blackboard and unrolled it, and then he pinned the bottom corners of it to keep it flat. As he stepped back, Erwin politely thanked him, and he indicated the top of the chart with a pointing finger.

"As you can see, the command flank will be front and center. We will be using our usual long-range formation. The only thing about that which has changed is our numbers."

"Yeah, they're getting pretty thin," remarked Mike in his low, soft voice.

"Very true," agreed Erwin with a nod. "As you all know, I've assigned recruitment officers to each district in search of able bodies willing to join our cause. Unfortunately, not many with military experience are willing to give their hearts to humanity. We don't exactly have the reputation of promoting longevity, after all."

There were some quiet chuckles at that.

"What about the next batch of trainees?" Nanaba asked. "Aren't they getting close to graduation?"

"Not close enough to be recruited into our ranks before the winter," replied Erwin. I'm afraid at the moment, the only positions we can recruit for are wagon drivers, medics and general laborers. The exception of course would be if any soldiers from other regiments choose to transfer to the scouts, but we all know how rare that is."

"No shit," muttered Levi. "We were lucky to get Bozado."

"Exactly." Erwin nodded. "Don't put high hopes into lucking out like that again anytime soon. We'll have to make due with what we have. Are there any questions about the formation?"

"Yeah." Levi tilted his head and looked at the number and letter codes on the chart, quickly assessing where he and his team would be at. "You haven't specified what my team is supposed to do if any spotters or the command ranks need aid. Now that I've got Jaeger, it's safe to assume our priorities have shifted."

"Hee hee...you said 'shifted'," Hange snickered.

Levi frowned at her. It took him a minute to get why she was tickled. "It's not a joke, four eyes. I have legit concerns about what's expected of Team Levi now that we've got the shifter brat to watch over."

"I understand your concerns," Erwin assured him. "Should the need arise for your squad to intervene, you are to send your second-in-command and another veteran team member of your choice to deal with it. Hange, you will choose members of your squad to cooperate with the captain's and assist, so that Eren Jaeger is still under tight protection and our people can get the help they require."

Hange nodded, sobering a bit from her half-delirious pun from earlier. "I think that's a solid plan, Erwin. I'll think it over after dinner and decide who to assign to do that. When are we leaving for this expedition, by the way?"

"Exactly two weeks from today," obliged the commander. "Next week at this same hour, we will have a mass briefing. I'm afraid it will need to be conducted in main military headquarters for greater convenience, considering that less than a fourth or our regiment are stationed here at the keep. Plan your schedules around it, ladies and gentlemen. As always, I expect each squad leader to have their men fully prepared for the morning of departure."

"No such thing as 'fully prepared', chief," Levi pointed out dryly.

Mike nodded in agreement, but Erwin met Levi's gaze coolly, without blinking. "You know better than most that a good scout is always ready and able to improvise when the situation changes without warning."

"Tch, you think?" Levi exchanged a brief look with Hange. They of all people understood the value of thinking fast and working around a tight situation.

Erwin chose to ignore his sarcasm. He had Ness bring up a map of the territories to pin it over the chart, and he began to explain the planned route he'd devised for the mission. Levi watched and listened, but he started to feel distracted. The air began to feel too heavy, and the temperature of the room seemed to be increasing by the moment. He tugged at his cravat to ease the restriction around his throat, and he nearly asked Eld if it was starting to feel hot in there to him. He stopped himself and he tried to put up with it, but as the presentation dragged on, he was wanting a tall glass of cool water more and more.

Levi started to feel dampness in his pants after about ten minutes of Erwin's route briefing, and he realized that it wasn't just ass sweat. He was beginning to feel a familiar sense of weakness, need and vulnerability. His groin started to tighten, and he felt no small amount of alarm when Mike—sitting a row ahead of him and to the right—started to sniff the air and turn around.

"Levi," Hange whispered, leaning close to him. "Levi, have you spritzed today?"

"Yes," he whispered back, watching Mike warily as the big blond scout turned this way and that, inhaling deeply. "I did it just…before coming here."

He started breathing heavily, trying to keep calm. Shit, of all the fucked up times for this to happen. This was bad. The only worse timing he could think of was in the middle of an expedition. Fortunately that hadn't happened yet, but his cycles were proving to be less and less predictable each year. They used to happen almost like clockwork, every three months. This was the first time he'd ever gone into heat so quickly after a previous cycle. Was it because he'd actually been relieving the condition, rather than swallowing down suppressants to control the symptoms.

"Well, if you did, you sure as hell didn't use enough of it," Hange warned in a softly urgent voice. "I can smell it, and if I can smell it then so can—"

"No shit," snapped Levi. He wiped sweat from his forehead, cheeks flushing as the urgency continued to grow. Mike had turned around in his chair, and now the blond squad commander was staring at Levi through shaggy fringe of pale hair. "Fuck…Hange…"

Now Erwin was looking around with a puzzled frown, too. He'd paused in his briefing, and he narrowed his ice blue eyes to scan the assembly of officers with interest. He was evidently catching the intensifying omega scent as well. Levi knew damned good and well that there were no other omegas currently in the officer ranks. One or two of the teens from the 104th might turn out to be an omega as they matured further, but for now, he was the only scout of that type that he knew of. His mind began to race as he tried to think up some excuse to leave. He almost stood up to declare that he needed a shit. After all, nobody in the room would have been overly shocked by him announcing such a thing. People might have even thought he had a scat fetish with as much as Levi talked about shit, but his obsessive cleanliness blew that theory out of the water quickly.

"Oh shit," Hange suddenly shouted, jumping up out of her seat.

Everyone stared at her, and she stammered for a moment before saluting Erwin. "Commander, I just remembered I have something urgent I need to do. It's very important for the expedition. It could be a breakthrough that may save lives in titan encounters. Permission to be excused."

Erwin stared at her blankly for a moment, sufficiently distracted from Levi's scent. "What's so important that cannot wait until I've completed outlining our trajectory, Hange?"

"Er...well..." Hange glanced at Levi, and he saw a brief flash of panic in her wide, brownish-red eyes. "I think I may have found a formula to neutralize titans safely from a distance with a shot fired from a shotgun. A tranquilizer dart, if you will. That would save us the need to engage them up close and save us valuable ODM fuel and wear and tear on pairing blades, wouldn't you agree?"

Erwin shrugged and nodded. "Yes, I won't dispute that. That still doesn't explain your rush, Commander Zoë."

"Ah, well you see...the key to the formula is testing the reaction of titan flesh to it," she said quickly, "and as you know, I can only preserve samples for so long. I brought some with me and began the testing process on them before coming to this meeting, but my time is almost up. I need to go and check on the results now, before the preservation fluid loses it's pep and the flesh samples melt!"

"Oh." Erwin relaxed. "I see. Then by all means, you're dismissed. I was just about to wrap things up anyhow."

Hange relaxed her salute. "Thank you, sir. Oh, I'll need an assistant." She grabbed Levi by the collar of his uniform jacket and practically reefed him out of his seat. "Levi, come and help!"

"Shit," he sputtered, stumbling as the crazed scientist started dragging him toward the door.

"Why do you need—" Erwin began to ask, but Hange cut him off.

"No time, Erwin! Levi's familiar enough with my work."

"But..." Erwin watched as Hange pulled their confused captain along with her and bolted for the door. "...Moblit is right here?"

Moblit actually seemed to sigh in relief, clearly fine with having a break from Hange's lunacy.

* * *

"Damned good timing," Levi panted in a strained voice as Hange supported his faltering steps, guiding him to the stairwell leading up to the next floor and the officer quarters. "You remembered your experiment just in time. Fuck, I think Mike could be onto me."

"That was all pure bullshit," informed Hange. "I made it up on the spot to get you out of there."

"Oh. Damn, you were pretty convincing back there. I thought it was a real thing."

Hange smirked down at the faltering omega, and she draped one of Levi's arms around her shoulders to help him up the stairs. Hold him tightly around the waist, she took it as quickly as she dared. "Thanks. I was shitting myself the whole time, thinking Erwin would see through it. I wish to God I really _did_ invent some kind of titan tranquilizers. It would make it so much easier to collect specimens for research!"

Levi lifted his head to look at her in exasperation. "You've really got a one-track mind, shitty glasses."

Hange chuckled a little breathlessly. Levi's heat scent was strong...stronger than it had been the last time. This was really abrupt. Usually the poor thing had at least a half hour's warning before his symptoms got this strong. She could feel the strength leaving her companion's fit little body, feel his trembling starting as he struggled to stay on his feet.

"I don't know how this happened so soon after your last one and so quickly, but let's worry about that after I take care of you, okay? I'll take some blood and urine samples later and give you an examination, Levi. We'll figure out what's going on."

Levi's sense of awareness was obviously beginning to wane, an unfortunate result of his heat. Some Omega's stayed completely aware through the entire thing, though their bodies' needs drove them to desperation. Others like Levi went into this sort of dazed trance, making them both physically and mentally vulnerable. These unfortunates were the omegas most likely to be taken advantage of by others, especially alphas reacting to their heat pheromones. Personally, Hange thought it was a miracle that Levi managed to climb the ranks so far without the truth of his biology being discovered.

He'd confessed to her after their first encounter together that he had the right connections to alter his medical records. Everyone got tested by the age of sixteen to determine whether they were alpha, omega or beta. Once it got confirmed, it went on the permanent record and that was that. There were medical specialists for all three types for reproductive related health. That was the only thing that worried Hange about Levi passing as a beta, and now that concern was rising forefront in her mind.

"Almost there," Hange soothed, holding Levi tighter against her. "Damn, you're a heavy little shit. Levi, try to keep your feet moving or I'm going to have to sling you over my shoulders and use a leverage carry. I'm going to throw my back out trying to drag you to my quarters this way."

Despite the mating swoon fogging his thoughts, the captain evidently understood Hange's request. He put more effort into getting one foot in front of the other, his head lolling against her shoulder.

"Fuck," he complained groggily. "Hate this...can't ever think straight...when it gets this bad. Just want to fuck."

Hange gave the hand attached to the arm around her shoulders a squeeze, trying to comfort him. "I know, sweetheart. I know it hurts. We're going to get you some relief, okay? Just try to stay with me until I've got us safely into my quarters. That's it...left foot, right foot. You're doing fine."

"Stop...babying me," moaned Levi. Even in his breeding stupor, he managed to sound indignant. "Doesn't hurt...just too hot. Well, it does hurt. Feels like my...fucking crotch...is going to split...shit, I'm so hard..."

Hange couldn't help but grin a little as she glanced down and saw how obscenely Levi's pants were bulging out. "Yes, I can see that, my dear. You could put an eye out with that thing."

"Very...funny," he panted. "H-Hange...we almost there?"

Her amusement faded into pity, and she nuzzled the crown of his head impulsively. "We're almost there, Levi. Just a few more steps, I promise."

He started to sag more against her, and his footsteps dragged and stopped completely. Hange's eyes went wide as her companion began to slide to the floor, and she did her best to catch him and hold him up.

"Levi? Oh shit...Levi!"

He was out cold. His head fell back, his breath still coming in harsh, quick pants from his open mouth like a wounded animal. His face was flushed, and he was sweating so profusely that the shaved part of his undercut was now completely wet. Having no choice in such an awkward position, Hange lowered him to the cool stone floor. She gave him a shake, and when there was no response, she pressed her hand against his damp forehead.

"Motherfucker," she grunted, immediately fumbling with his cravat to untie it. "You're burning up!"

This was probably the most violent reaction to a heat she'd ever witnessed, and the cold wash of fear that rippled through her was like nothing Hange had ever felt before. She started to call out for help, even as she worked open the buttons of his shirt to pull it open and get it off of him. Mikasa Ackerman happened to be coming down the stairs from the third level, and she was the first to hear Hange's cries. When she reached the bottom of the stairs and found the squad commander kneeling over the unconscious, panting captain, she immediately rushed to her aid.

"Commander Hange, what happened?"

Hange shook her head. Her hands were shaking and her heart was slamming against her ribcage. "I don't know," she replied in all honesty. She would not reveal to anyone that Levi was an omega unless she absolutely had to. Levi was as hot to the touch right now as Eren usually was after exiting his titan form, and that was quite dangerous for an ordinary human. Hange feared it might come down to betraying his trust or saving his life.

"Help me get him to the bathroom," ordered the scientist, forcing down her panic. "We need to get him into cold water and cool his body down. I'll find out what's going on once he's out of the danger zone."

"Maybe we should call for a doctor," suggested Mikasa as she took hold of Levi's legs, while Hange picked him up by the torso.

"Not unless we have to," insisted Hange. "There isn't much a doctor could do that I can't. I'll let you know if we need to bring in additional medical assistance."

Together, the two women carried Levi's sweaty deadweight back down to the first floor and into the first bathroom they came to. It happened to be the women's bathing room, and Krista Lenz just happened to be taking a bath with Ymir when they came barging in with their burden.

"Move aside," shouted Hange to the startled girls, not bothering to carry Levi further to the second bath. The sooner they got Levi submerged, the better. "Is the water cold or hot?"

"Um, it's cool," Krista said, blue eyes practically popping out of her head as she covered her breasts. "Squad leader, what are you... _eeek_!"

Hange pulled Levi free of Mikasa's hold and she practically dumped him into the bath with the startled little blond and her taller brunette companion. Ymir cut loose with a string of curses, hopping immediately out of the tub and rushing for a towel to give to her panicked little girlfriend.

"What in the hell—"

"He's burning up," Hange snapped, and she jumped in with the captain to keep his head above water, unmindful of her clothing and boots. "Mikasa, since you're dressed, go and get Moblit right away. He should be in the strategy chamber or nearby! Girls, cover up unless you want to give my assistant a show."

Ymir forgot about covering herself up. Instead, she immediately helped Krista out of the tub and draped a towel over her nudity before grabbing up another towel for herself. "Don't look so horrified," she advised Krista. "Captain Levi's totally out of it. He didn't see anything."

"Is he going to be okay?" Krista hedged, watching with worry as Hange held Levi up against her and started splashing his face. Mikasa was already long gone.

"He'll be fine," gritted Hange, though she knew her voice lacked confidence.

* * *

-To be continued

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> End of chapter recap (yes, I'm going to be doing this with this story too)
> 
> Hange: "We're just friends."
> 
> Levi: "Totally. Just friends. I don't even like her half the time. Oh, Hange, I need you to fuck me now."
> 
> Hange: "Twist my arm!"
> 
> Eren: "I want abs like yours, Captain."
> 
> Levi: "Stop coming onto me, brat."
> 
> Eld: "Shit, I think Eren and I must be related or have the same foot-in-mouth disorder."
> 
> Hange: "Punny-pun-pun!"
> 
> Levi: ( ¬_¬)
> 
> Hange: "Wow, that came on fast. No worries though, Levi. Hey, Levi? Are you listening?"
> 
> Levi: *CRASH*


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those not familiar with the omegaverse or female betas, here is a link to a run-down. I'm using the biology of the female alpha described there, but with a bit of my own twist. There is also a wiki article you can google if you wish. http://theomegaverse.tumblr.com/Rundown

Levi tossed fitfully in the bed, kicking off the sheets covering him. Cool hands were suddenly holding him down, and a familiar voice spoke to him urgently. "Levi! Calm down. Snap out of it, you feisty neat freak."

His eyes flared open, lips parting on a gasp as he tried to sit up. Hange was on top of him...literally. The alpha woman was straddling his hips, and she had hold of his wrists in an attempt to keep him from flailing. Disoriented, and maddened by powerful mating urges, Levi growled. He heaved and he rolled, taking his friend with him. She was in a robe and her hair was hanging loose and damp. Her glasses were off, and she stared up at him with wide eyes as he pinned her.

"Easy," Hange said, using the same calming tone of voice he'd heard her use with him before. "Easy, Levi. It's me. It's your 'shitty glasses'. Down, boy."

Some semblance of rational thought broke through his animalistic fog, and he eased up. Sucking in quick, painful breaths, he shuddered and he squeezed his eyes shut. It felt like a storm inside of his head. It was so fucking hard to concentrate. Speaking of hard, he was completely nude and his erection was digging firmly into Hange's loins, with only the thin material of her robe separating their flesh. Levi blinked, wondering over the urge he suddenly felt to yank that material aside and bury himself inside of her.

He'd never felt the desire to be with a woman before. He'd never really felt the desire to be with a man, either. In general, the only need he was used to feeling was the frantic urge to have something hard, thick and long inside of him when his heats occurred. Otherwise he considered sexual intimacy with another person an awkward and messy affair. He tended to jerk off when he got horny just to get rid of the distraction. Lately, he found himself thinking of Hange more and more often, and not just when he was in heat.

"Shit," he gritted out, opening his eyes again. The top of Hange's robe had parted in their brief skirmish, and he glanced down at the tanned chest to see a partly exposed breast. The dusky nipple showed, and he lowered his head before he even realized what he was doing to lick at it.

"Oh!" Hange squirmed. "L-Levi, I think you're...mmm..."

He didn't know what she'd been about to say. Words were hard to comprehend. He closed his lips around her nipple and he gave it a tug, sucking on it. Hange's fingers curled into his and she arched against him.

"Okay," gasped Hange, "this I can deal with. Just try not to...bite down."

Levi shook himself out of it with difficulty, and he released the captive nipple with a wet pop. He lifted his head and he gazed down at his friend, gray eyes flashing with confused lust. "Didn't...mean to attack you," he managed to articulate.

Hange smirked at him, ever braver than sensible. "Attack me all you want, Ackerman. Just don't bite off anything valuable while you're at it."

Levi swallowed, shivered and he looked around. They were in Hange's chambers. "What...happened?"

"You passed out while I was trying to get you in here," explained Hange. They might as well have been chatting over tea. One would never guess that Levi had come close to sexually assaulting her mere moments ago, for all the concern in her tone. Her body was relaxed beneath him. "I tossed you in a cool bath to lower your body temperature, and once you were out of the danger zone, Moblit and I brought you in here for me to keep an eye on you."

Levi closed his eyes again. "Fuck...goddamn it. Who else saw me like that?" He could feel the slickness between his buttocks, his body aching for cock and more than ready for it. He disdainfully ignored it, angry with himself for losing control so easily, and angry with his body for producing such needs to the point here it came to that.

"Don't worry," pacified Hange. She reached up to stroke his hair, now that he'd released her hands. "Nobody saw the slick. No other alphas were around when you tanked. Mikasa only saw you passed out on the floor with me hovering over you, and Ymir and Krista had no idea what was going on."

"You said...Moblit helped."

Hange bit her lip and averted her gaze.

"Shitty glasses," rasped Levi, now in real pain as he staved off his body's desperate need and focused his concentration, "does he know?"

She met his gaze. "Yes. Don't worry though. I made him swear to keep it hush-hush, and Moblit would never go behind my back and tell someone what I instructed him to keep confidential."

"You can't be sure," Levi growled. He started rubbing against her, brows furrowing with his troubled thoughts and lust. "Damn it, Hange. Moblit's...not an idiot. If he thinks...our superiors need to know...he might prove you wrong."

"He won't," she insisted, eyes narrowing in challenge. "That guy would jump off a rooftop without a net or ODM gear if I ordered him to. I might drive the poor dear crazy, but he's loyal as fuck. Trust me, Levi."

He captain shuddered, and he rolled off of her and curled into a ball, fighting back a humiliating whimper. "Guess I'm...not your only friend after all, then."

Hange embraced him from behind, her strong body spooning up against Levi's. It was funny, he usually didn't notice the feminine curve of her hips or the subtle swell of her breasts. Probably because she always dressed and acted rather mannishly. Levi found himself enjoying the contact, and not just because he was horny as everloving fuck. If he weren't in heat, he might have even been unopposed to simply lying there like that with her and napping together. The walls knew he got little enough sleep as it was.

"Levi? Let me help you." Hange's lips caressed the rim of his ear, and they smiled when he trembled. "It's okay, my dear. It's me."

"I almost fucking raped you," he gasped. He turned his head to look up at her hovering face. She was...pretty to him. "Why do you even...want to touch me?"

"You wouldn't have," she said with confidence. Her voice deepened to a husky murmur, suggesting she was getting turned on. "You're in heat. Do you know what you smell like to me right now, Levi? It's like honey and sunlight and...and...shit."

"If I smell like...honey, sunlight and shit, I think...you need your nose checked," Levi said as dryly as he could manage.

That made Hange bust out with a louder chortle of amusement. She ran a finger down his abdomen, between the ridges of his six-pack. "Shit wasn't part of your scent. That was just me cursing because I couldn't think of a better description." Hange smiled, shaking her head. "Damn, even on rutting suppressants, I'm reacting to your scent."

Hange's hand slipped lower, and Levi moaned softly when it curled around his erection to fondle it slowly. "Levi, you're so hard and wet. You need it bad, don't you sweetheart?"

He rocked into her touch, biting his lip. Words failed him. He jerked reflexively as Hange stopped petting his cock to slide her hand around his hip and over his ass, her long, seeking fingers finding the wet pucker of his entrance to rub it in gentle circles. Levi squirmed, and he tilted his head and shut his eyes as her lips began to suck on the side of his neck. One finger slipped inside of him, immediately causing a jolt to go through his innards and his pelvis.

"Fuck," groaned the omega.

"Easy," purred Hange in the assertive tone of an aroused alpha. "I'm going to take good care of you, Levi. Roll over for me. Spread your legs."

He started to do as she said, but something snapped in him. He didn't want to be on his back, or on his side, or on his hands and knees. Usually those were the positions that did it best for him when he needed to be fucked. He wasn't feeling the usual weakness surging through his body that he'd grown more or less accustomed to, however. Instead, he was getting a sort of adrenaline rush. He felt strong, and he felt aggressive. He didn't have the mental clarity right now to ponder it out. All he knew was that he wanted to be fucked, and he wanted some control over the encounter, this time.

Hange yelped a little when Levi rolled to face her, ejecting her finger from his body in the process. He grabbed her by the shoulders, pushed her down onto her back and growled a demand as he straddled her hips.

"The dildo. Where is it?"

"Th-the drawer to the right of you," she sputtered, eyes wide. "In the bedside table."

Levi's hand shook with the force of his need as he reached out to grab the iron knob and yank the drawer open. He nearly pulled it right out of the table. He found Hange's artificial cock and the harness and inflation bladder connected to it, nestled in an open box covered with a clean cloth. He retrieved it, and he lifted up to start helping her secure it. The robe was in the way, and he yanked the bottom of it open to expose her loins and the auburn thatch of hair framing them. He couldn't concentrate, and he growled again, frustrated.

"Levi," Hange called in a calming tone. "Calm down. Here, let me do this. Just breathe, sweetheart. My, you're an aggressive boy today."

"Hurry," he panted, feeling dizzy. Still, that usual weakness didn't come. The fog of the mating swoon was there, but it wasn't putting him in the typical stupor that tended to render him docile and compliant. Instead, it was feeding his aggression and impatience, making his body scream with the demand to mate in an entirely new way.

Hange hastily lifted her hips and started fastening the series of snaps and adjustable straps, positioning the cup at the female end of the strap-on so that it fit over her loins. Knowing that it was important for her pleasure that she get it placed just right to massage her clit while they were doing it, Levi willed himself to hold still, his thigh muscles twitching with urgency as he hovered in his straddled position over her.

"The lube, dear," urged Hange. "Grab the lubricant so I can grease this bad boy up for you."

"Don't need it," he insisted, and as soon as he was sure she had her toy properly secured, he grabbed the shaft of it, positioned himself over it and started sinking down. It hurt, but he didn't care.

"W-wait, Levi," Hange gasped, grabbing his hips. "We haven't prepped you at all yet! Even in heat, you aren't loose enough to take it so fast!"

"Gotta have it," he grunted, breaking into a sweat again as he mercilessly took it. His breath caught and his teeth clenched, but he continued until Hange's artificial cock was inside of him up to the hilt. He shuddered with relief from being filled, even though it burned.

* * *

Hange didn't know quite what to do. Levi was already strong on a regular day, barely manageable in any test of strength between the two of them. Now that physical strength was unreasonably multiplied. It was unprecedented for an omega to get an adrenaline surge like this when in heat. This was the first time Hange had ever seen it. Levi was usually as weak and helpless as any other omega when the cycle reached its zenith. He'd even started out that way when this one hit him so quickly. For some reason after regaining consciousness from his swoon, everything changed. The desperate need was still there, but he was aggressive rather than submissive.

"Levi, slow down," Hange begged, sliding her hands up and down his tense hips. "You're hurting yourself."

She could see by the drugged look coming into his piercing gray eyes that he was not fully in the mating swoon, and reaching him could take a bit more persuasion. Hange gripped those muscular hips firmly to keep Levi from lifting up immediately for another thrust. "Stop it, Ackerman. Just give it a moment. I'm not kidding around, you little shit. Listen to my voice. Just calm down and let it settle in."

Her words seemed to reach the impassioned omega, at least enough to persuade basic responses. He looked down at her, pupils blown wide to the point where only a thin band of silver-gray could be seen around them. His small mouth parted, panting breaths escaping his lips. He obeyed Hange's demand and he held relatively still, though his pelvis gyrated in smooth, gentle motions as though he simply couldn't help it. He placed his hands on her chest, and he pushed apart the top of her robe to expose her breasts. She raised a brow, again surprised when he full-on cupped them. She braced herself, half-expecting him to squeeze them roughly. He didn't, however. He began to fondle them in a way he'd never done before.

"Oh, what is this?" Hange gasped, intrigued. Her tiny captain usually only gave her breasts a brief caress or a lick now and then. She'd been convinced that he was a bit shy about the female body, or simply not interested in it sexually at all. This whole time, she thought Levi only went to her because he trusted her, not because he felt any real attraction for her.

"Levi, do you like my breasts?" She asked, using her soothing tone on him. She slid her hands up from his hips, running them over his stomach and chest, feeling the hard ridges of muscle beneath her palms.

His gaze dropped to the small mounds he was fondling, and he nodded in a dream-like manner. He squirmed on top of her, his dark, thin brows pinching anxiously. "H-Hange..."

The aggression had dropped from his voice. Apparently being filled did something to improve his urgency. He had that husky, droning lilt to his voice again, the one that begged to be fucked even when his power of speech lacked the coherency to say the words.

Hange smiled at him reassuringly, and she slid one hand up to trace his parted lips and his jaw with her fingertips. "It's okay, Levi. I've got you. We can do it this way if you want. Just take it slowly at first, okay? Lift up a little, and then come back down."

She put her hands back on his hips and she guided his motions as he started to comply with her suggestion. Hange nodded, her voice going husky as the motion stimulated her clit. "That's it, Levi. Just like that. A little bit at a time. You're doing fine, love."

He moaned, his head falling back as his mating instincts began to take over. Hange's breath began to quicken as well, prompted by the strokes against her clit with each movement and the feel of his hands stroking her breasts, his fingers tweaking her nipples. This was turning to be out better than usual. Not that she didn't usually have fun when they did this, but now Levi seemed to have taken a greater interest in certain body parts that he'd always shied away from before.

With Hange's guidance, Levi started picking up on how to roll his hips in this position, and how to angle them to give himself the best stimulation inside. Soon his body was glistening with perspiration, and his moans grew louder and more shaken. He bent over her after a while, leaving off holding her breasts to brace his hands on either side of her head. Eyes closed, he lowered his mouth to hers to connect their lips. Hange readily slipped her tongue into his mouth, stroking and teasing Levi's as she steadily pumped beneath him, keeping time with his motions.

"Ahh...nnnaahhh!" Levi broke the kiss and shuddered when Hange reached between his spread thighs to grip his cock and stroke it.

"Yes," Hange encouraged in a growl. "Let it happen, pet."

She started to thrust into him with quick, short pumps, drawing a shaken cry from the captain. Still stroking him off with one hand, she reached for the inflation device connecting to her strap-on with the other. She'd become a master of reading Levi's reactions and knowing just when the right time to knot was. Hange waited until his breath began to hitch, and she gave the pump three squeezes.

"Fuck," groaned Levi, shaking with pleasure as the knot pressed firmly against his prostate and locked them together. He collapsed on top of Hange, whimpering uncharacteristically. His cock bucked several times in her grasp, spilling a hefty amount of cum between their bodies. Hange released the pump and, still fondling his twitching member, she stroked his dark hair and kissed it.

"There you go," crooned the scientist. "You're so beautiful. Such a good boy, Levi."

She came close to telling him she loved him, but even in his heat swoon, he might take it the wrong way and get spooked. Hange had to watch her step with Levi. He was gunshy when it came to commitments, and if he thought she was starting to think of him as her mate instead of her friend, he might put an end to this little perk in their relationship. She could say she loved him in a more platonic setting without freaking him out, and that's just what she did.

"Nnnhh!" He moaned, still coming helplessly. That burst of strength he'd had in the beginning seemed to be draining from him. Now he was acting more like he usually did when in the throes of heat.

"Good boy," crooned Hange, over and over again as the multiple orgasm ran its course. She listened to the sounds he was making, and her face warmed with arousal and delight. If anyone else ever heard Levi make these sounds, they'd probably melt and ask him to marry them. He was just so cute and sensual when he was like this. Hange released his spurting cock and she embraced him, stroking his trembling back encouragingly.

"I'll always be here for you, Levi," she promised, just as she always did when she relieved his heat for him. "Always."

Gasping and grunting, Levi could only respond by rubbing his sweaty cheek against hers. The action was so unexpected and endearing that Hange went still. Levi did express gratitude when these sessions were over with, but they were always guarded and vague. That quiet little nuzzle spoke more to Hange than any words he'd ever said to her. She swallowed, and she smiled helplessly, her cheeks heating further.

"Levi, you are going to kill your 'shitty-glasses' with all of this cuteness," Hange whispered.

His tremors died down, his erection softened a bit, and Levi breathed a sigh of obvious contentment. If he even heard or understood what she'd just said to him, he didn't show it. He was now completely into the euphoric state of his heat...the stage after the first initial mating took the edge off and made him docile. There would be a few more rounds before his needs were satisfied enough to stop, but now his suffering had abated, taking away that frantic edge.

Hange's stroking hands went lower, settling on his ass. She took one off of it so that she could deflate the knot in her strap-on, mimicking what would have happened if she'd been an alpha male. Levi lifted his head groggily, still breathing heavily but clearly in a better place, now. His pupils were still dilated, his cheeks painted rosy with his sexual bliss. He blinked slowly at her, those lazy pewter eyes taking on a "come hither" look that Hange found more appealing than she probably should have.

"Damn, you're pretty," she breathed, reaching up to comb aside the bangs that had fallen over his eyes.

Levi's brows briefly pinched, as if he was trying to understand her but having difficulty doing so. Hange sighed, and she traced those narrow brows gently with a fingertip. She loved the sensuality of Levi's heat...loved the reactions she got. What she didn't love was the utter loss of coherency. It was like her cranky captain went away for a while, in a manner of speaking. He always came back by the time it was finished, but sometimes she felt like she was taking advantage of him.

Levi closed his eyes and bit his lip, and he started to rub against her; his silent way of telling her he was ready for more. Guessing he wouldn't mind or resist, Hange braced her feet on the bedding and she lifted up, rolling over and taking Levi with her.

"Okay, my dear," she said, seeing the flash of lust return to his eyes. She closed her legs and pushed his thighs apart, settling herself between them. Some might call this position boring or too vanilla, but Hange rather liked it. She could see every expression she provoked on Levi's face as she took him. "Wrap your legs around me."

Levi did so, and he rubbed his heels against the small of her back, making a soft, masculine sound of pleasure in his throat as her pseudo cock sank deeper into him. Hange began to move, bracing herself to support her upper body weight as she started to thrust, slowly and smoothly. Levi put his arms around her and he tossed his head, letting forth another of those sensual noises. His half-softened length began to firm up again, and within a few pumps, it was producing prefluid.

Hange closed her eyes, trying to imagine how it would be if she had a flesh and blood cock to do this with. For certain, she'd designed a fabulous tool that seemed to make up for her lack of a male alpha's size. Her clit, when swollen, was like a penis itself and she wasn't too modest to say she out-sized any other alpha female she'd seen in an aroused condition. Once it expanded and emerged, it was almost as big as a beta male's cock. It fit perfectly into the insulated tube in the center of the dildo shaft, so that when she was fucking Levi, she got suction and grip that simulated being inside of flesh. It wasn't perfect, but she didn't think she could do any better with it unless she found the time to make more modifications.

Unfortunately, Levi had been so desperate to get pegged that Hange hadn't had the chance to lube up the inside or outside of her dildo, so now she would have to rely on her own prefluid to give that glide. She didn't mind, though. The interior of the shaft covering hers was damp enough now from some of Levi's slick getting up into it, and as she pumped, her own fluids started to come out. It felt better by the second, and Hange groaned. She caught hold of Levi's hands when he grabbed for the pillow under his head, and she entwined their fingers.

"Oh, Levi," Hange moaned. She was getting too excited. She hadn't come yet, but at this rate, she was going to fast. He'd started thrusting his hips upwards, synchronizing with her rhythm. He huffed her name, which indicated he was at least aware of who was fucking him. Hange kissed him, tracing his lips with her tongue until they parted to give her access.

"Nnnhh...mmmuuhh," Levi moaned softly, flicking his tongue against hers and squeezing her hands.

"Ah, hell," groaned Hange. She started thrusting harder and faster, feeling the warning signs that told her she should consider stopping to take another of her suppressants. She'd taken one before getting on the road and heading to the keep, but sometimes she needed to take a second dose if exposed to the pheromones of an omega in heat.

And Levi's scent was definitely affecting her beyond just the mere pleasantness of it. She broke the kiss and groaned into his hair, snapping her hips with growing desperation. His hard, damp arousal pressed and rubbed against her lower abdomen as she pistoned her hips with greater force. Levi's panting cries assured her that he was enjoying it as much as she was, and the now slippery friction around the fully swollen length of her clit.

"Ho shit," panted Hange. It was rolling through her like a shockwave now, and she wondered if her hair had begun to stand on end from the energizing sensation. She definitely wasn't tired anymore. "L-Levi, we need to have a b-brief recess..."

She sounded like a judge at court, and she laughed breathlessly at herself. She couldn't even think straight to properly tell him they needed to stop. Since Levi was beyond the point of comprehension right now anyway, Hange decided to simply try and pause. He wouldn't let her. The minute she tried to withdraw completely, he clamped his thighs around her waist so tightly that it squeezed the breath out of her. His hands gripped hers firmly, though she felt them tremble with the effort of it.

"Just for a moment," Hange wheezed. "Come on, don't be a stubborn little shit. I've got a...a real problem and—"

Levi whimpered sluttishly, then growled. He licked the side of Hange's neck, just over her scent gland. That did her in.

"All right, you asked for it, you little terror!"

* * *

"...Fuck."

Hange turned her head to look at the bewildered omega, who had just come back to his senses after being fucked every which way by her. She bit her lip, rolled onto her side and watched the prone captain. "Well, that's the short way to summarize it," she teased.

Lying on his back with his arms out to the sides and his legs spread, Levi was staring up at the ceiling with a completely dumbfounded expression on his face. They were both still catching their breath, and Hange had finally removed her device. Levi couldn't say just when she'd taken it off or even when she'd finally stopped fucking him. The last thing he remembered was feeling what could only be described as someone coming inside of him, which seemed ridiculous, because as far as he knew Hange hadn't upgraded her strap-on design to include fake semen.

He tried to remember everything. A lot of it was a blur, but some parts stood out sharper than others; his aggression in the beginning being one of them. He remembered starting to straddle and ride her, but it got fuzzy after that. The feelings he'd felt during the act came through clear as a bell. The moments themselves were scattered and confused.

"Did I...black out?"

Hange lowered her gaze, and she plucked at a loose thread on the bed sheet covering her up to the waist. "I'm afraid so, grump. I stopped as soon as I realized you weren't with me at all anymore, though." She squirmed a bit, grimacing. "You were pretty mouthy just before it happened, so I knew you were conked when you suddenly went quiet and still on me."

"Mouthy?" He turned his head to regard her, looking her up and down. Her brownish-red hair was still hanging loose, and it was wilder looking than before from being mussed. There was a glint of satisfaction in her eyes, but something more than that. He couldn't put his finger on it. "Mouthy how? I don't remember cussing you out."

"That's probably because you didn't," explained the scientist with a smirk. "You screamed my name a few times, though."

Levi's expression fell flat. "I don't scream."

Hange chuckled, and it could have been his imagination, but it appeared in the flickering light that she might be blushing. "Not consciously, no. I've told you before, Levi; you can get pretty vocal when you're in heat. You just don't realize you're doing it."

His eyebrows twitched, betraying him.

"You don't believe me," guessed Hange. She reached out to pinch his cheek lightly. "Well, if anyone asks, I was treating a fever that overcame you last afternoon and you were delirious. You thought I was trying to experiment on you. That's the excuse we can use."

Levi blinked slowly, and he swallowed, trying to work some moisture back into his mouth. His voice certainly was hoarse and his throat did feel raw. He recognized what that other emotion was he saw lurking in the back of Hange's eyes. She was concerned about him. She might be full of shit with a lot of things and prone to pulling pranks here and there, but he knew the alpha well enough by now to believe she wouldn't pull his leg about something like this.

Still disoriented from the euphoric swoon he'd been in, Levi asked the only other question he could currently come up with. "Hey, did you put some water into that inflation thing you use, or something? Last thing I remember was you looking like you were either coming or having a massive shit, and then I felt...erm...something..."

He trailed off with a frown. It had been warm...slippery. "Hey, you didn't piss down that tube that goes through that thing, did you?"

"Don't be ridiculous," scoffed Hange, propping up on one elbow. "I might be eccentric, Levi, but I'm not sick. I'd never pee inside you."

"Then what the hell did I feel squirting from that thing you were wearing?" he demanded. He wasn't keen on the discussion, but he was so confused about it that he felt he needed clarification.

"You didn't squirt some kind of fucked up medicine in there, did you?"

"Levi, calm down and stop drawing conclusions," Hange said, completely serious. "Although I can't exactly blame you for thinking I'd do something like that..."

"Just tell me what the squirt was," he sighed.

Hange shrugged. "Well, that came from me."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "Thought you said you didn't piss in me."

"I didn't!" Hange choked briefly on a laugh, but she sobered quickly. "Levi, I know you've told me that you don't know much about alpha females and how our bodies work. Come to think of it, you've never seen me at full mast."

"What the hell does 'full mast' mean?" Levi demanded.

She appeared to consider it for a moment. "Well, I'm sure you've seen naked women before."

"Yeah, including you." His gaze automatically swept over her again, lingering on her breasts. He almost reached out to caress one of them, but he stopped himself. "What's that got to do with masts?"

Hange cleared her throat. "Well, 'full mast' and 'half mast' are generally terms for the state of the male penis. You know...half-hard or fully hard."

Levi nodded and shrugged. He grimaced at the feel of the dampness in the sheets he was on. They were going to have a great time changing out her bed and cleaning these sheets without anyone seeing all the spunk on them.

"You know that the female clit hardens too, don't you? Just like a penis," Hange went on.

Actually, Levi _didn't_ know that, because he'd only ever fooled around with a couple of beta women before and that didn't go beyond kissing and some awkward groping through clothing that did nothing for him. Still, he nodded. "So what?"

Hange briefly compressed her lips, appearing to consider how to answer him. "Alpha females are a bit different. Essentially, the female clit isn't much different from the male penis. Ours are just inside instead of on the outside, for the most part. Alpha women like yours truly have...er...enhanced size, just like alpha males. We're bigger in the genital area than beta and omega females. It isn't always obvious, though. Unless we're aroused, we don't look much different from females of other types down there. One might notice a larger clit, but it's not that apparent until Happy Hour comes along. The 'squirt' you felt was me ejaculating—which obviously went through the tube and into you. Sorry about that. It only happens when I'm in rut—"

Levi was curious in spite of himself, and he cut her off. "So are you saying you really _do_ have a dick?"

Hange flushed, and there was no mistaking it this time. "Of a sort. It's a clit, but it can serve the same function for alpha women as a cock. How do you think we impregnate other women, after all?"

Levi rubbed his forehead. "Shit, I don't know. I've never really thought about it."

Hange was watching him with an odd look on her face.

"What's wrong?" Levi sighed. He was exhausted and pleasantly sore. He didn't even know what time it was, except that it was after dark. Hange had said "yesterday" in reference to when his heat occurred, so he could only assume it was after midnight now. That meant they had to have been screwing for a few hours. It had been before dinnertime when he and Hange left the mission brief meeting.

"Nothing." Hange gave him a smile that was obviously forced. "It's nothing, grump. I've just still got a lady boner, but I'm not going to press you for more tonight. You must be exhausted."

"No shit?" His mind wasn't on his exhaustion—which he admittedly felt. It was on this "Lady Boner" she'd mentioned. He'd never seen one before. Hange always had her strap-on attached when they fucked. He'd seen her loins before, but never up close and never while she was...

"Hey, let me look at it."

Hange's eyes widened. "Erm...what?"

"Your lady dick," he explained. "I've never seen it the way you've described it. Never seen _any_ alpha woman's dick."

Hange's mouth fell open. "W-why do you want to see it? If you haven't had enough, I can put the dildo back on."

"That's not it," he said. He was pretty much fucked-out for the night. For some reason, he really wanted to see Hange's stuff. He wanted to know what she looked like all over, without something always covering part of her or darkness obscuring everything. He sighed, and he started to tug the sheet covering her bottom half down.

"Hey, grumpfuck, what do you think you're doing?"

Startled by her reaction, Levi paused. "What? You embarrassed or something? After all the shit we've done together? You've seen all of me, so why shouldn't I see—"

"Because you're not ready to," she snapped. When he just stared at her in blank puzzlement, Hange sighed. "I don't want you to get spooked."

"Why would I get spooked? It's just natural for you, right?" Levi didn't try to tug the covers down again, though. His head was still reeling. He was tired. "All right, I'm not gonna push it. Did you say you were in rut, though?"

"A little bit," she confessed, grimacing. "Which is why I should take another suppressant. It didn't turn into a full rut, thank goodness. I think it was just wearing off when your heat went off like an explosion. I didn't get the chance to double-up."

Levi watched as she got out of bed, carefully collecting her discarded robe and slipping it on with her back to him as soon as she was standing. As Hange went to get her medication from the dresser, Levi sat up slowly. He still felt weak. The lingering fatigue made him recall his aggressive behavior and that surge of strength he'd had before, and he looked over at Hange again. She was swallowing a pill and chasing it with a cup of water poured from the pitcher she kept on the dresser.

"Hey Hange—"

"Don't ask to see it again, Levi."

"Would you fucking listen and stop putting words in my mouth, shitty glasses? I can take the hint, and that's not what I was going to ask about."

Hange turned to look at him, and she had the grace to look embarrassed. "I'm sorry. I'm just a bit frustrated. What did you want to ask me, Levi?"

"About what happened when I woke up after the first time I passed out. I.." He frowned, putting a hand to his forehead. "I'm not sure. Maybe I dreamed it, but I remember feeling a rush. Kind of like the rush I get in the field when I'm engaging titans. It was like an adrenaline rush, but a lot hornier."

Hange smirked. "You didn't imagine it. You were pretty aggressive when you first woke up, and that was unusual, even for an unusual omega like yourself."

Levi stared down at the floor, watching the moonlight from the window slanting over the wood. "So it wasn't normal. You've never seen that from an omega before?"

"No. It was new to me." Hange combed her hair with her fingers, and she walked back over to the bed to plop back down on it. "I told you that we could do some testing to find out if anything's amiss, and we will. I know neither of us are big on sleep, but I think we could both think clearer with a little shuteye, don't you? I promise that when our schedules allow later on today, we can meet up in my lab and see what's going on. It could be nothing. Both alphas and Omegas can go through phases in different life stages. The early heat and your initial reaction to it could be nothing more than a transition to hormone changes."

Levi absorbed this quietly. He looked at her again, watched her put on her glasses so she could see better. "But you've never personally witnessed another omega act like that."

"Nope." Hange smiled at him, and she reached out to squeeze his bare shoulder. "You aren't the average omega, Levi. You defy the norm in strength, skills and...ahem...endowments." Her gaze flicked down meaningfully at his softened groin. "Oh yes, nothing tiny about that part of you."

Levi had no response for that. Said endowments were part of what helped him pass for a beta, after all—even get mistaken for an alpha. He hadn't seen many omega males to compare notes with, though. "And if it's not just some life phase?"

Hange sobered. "Then something else could be going on, but we would need more to go on than a single unusual heat cycle. There could be a number of things behind it, Levi. We'll rule out the most likely possibilities first, before doing more extensive research on it."

Levi sighed. "Tch. You've got enough shit on your plate. I'm not going to push you to focus so much time on my fucked up heats."

Hange scooted closer to him, her earlier abrupt tension apparently forgotten. "Hey, I'm your 'shitty glasses'. How many times do I have to tell you that when it comes to my friend, it's not a burden? I might not get to the answer as quickly as I'd like to because of my schedule, but if something strange _is_ going on with you, I intend to find out what it is, okay?"

Levi nodded. "A year ago, I never would have pictured myself coming to you for advice or...this."

Hange chuckled, and she ruffled his hair. "A year ago, I was doing my homework on you in case I ever had to kill you."

Levi stared at her, suspecting typical Hange bullshit. Her amused look faded into a completely straight face. "Kill me, huh?"

"Well, you tried to kill Erwin." Hange shrugged. "When you stayed with us after that, I had to be sure it wasn't so that you could take another shot at him. He was my friend before you were...and my commander."

Levi tried to find fault with that logic, but he couldn't. "Well played. What are your thoughts on that now?"

"You've proven your loyalty. I think if you still had plans to assassinate Erwin, you'd have made a move by now." Hange winked at him. "Of course, it's possible that I just used your heat as an excuse to get to know you even better, and I'm just biding my time."

Now Levi knew she was just fucking around. He smirked at her. "Make your move then, four eyes. Think you could take me?"

"In your current condition?" Hange snorted, lifting her glasses briefly to eye him up and down. "I'm pretty sure I could."

Levi's teasing mood faded in the face if annoyance. He did not like to feel weak, let alone be reminded of it when it was the simple truth. "Don't kid yourself. I could still wipe the floor with you."

"Could you?"

Hange suddenly lunged for him, and Levi's reflexes were admittedly slowed in the after-effects of heat and marathon fucking. He ended up pinned beneath Hange's lean, solid weight, and he tried to buck her off. He growled in frustration when he failed to dislodge her, and Hange growled back. The sound gave Levi pause. He'd heard her growl playfully before, but never quite like that. One long, tan thigh wedged between his as Hange grabbed his wrists and held them down on either side of Levi's head. He stared up at her, unaware that his pupils had dilated.

He should kick her ass for this. He should throw her across the room, just as he'd done with Mike recently. Instead, he started sniffing at her throat, his lips parting on a sigh. There. He could smell the heady scent right there, but it didn't actually smell like anything. It was odorless, and yet he couldn't stop breathing it in. He felt something hard and tubular in shape pressing against his thigh from beneath Hange's robe, and he figured out what it was almost immediately.

Hange was sniffing his neck as well. The feel of her breath against his skin made Levi's body tingle, and his eyes drifted shut. Why the hell wasn't he tossing her off of him? He wasn't _that_ weakened, anymore. Hange lifted her head, and she stared down at him with quickened breath. Her glasses began to slip, and Levi deftly twisted one hand out of her grip to tug the eyewear off and set it aside. He could have used that moment to free himself from her, but instead he just found himself staring back at her.

"You know I could toss you right now," he murmured.

"Then why don't you?" she challenged.

He started to answer something crude and probably insulting, but her lips descended to his at that point, and the only thing that came out was a hum as Hange kissed him. He impulsively slipped his free hand into her robe, his other hand still trapped by her hold on his wrist. Levi remembered touching her breasts earlier...and not just briefly. He cupped the right one lightly to confirm how it had felt in his hand. Soft to the touch yet firm in mass, it was more than nice. He could only come to one conclusion to explain this, and it was a little shocking.

_~It's got nothing to do with gender. It's just because it's Hange.~_

Refusing to reveal the panic he was starting to feel, Levi blurted the first thing he could think of that might douse the fire, based on Hange's earlier reactions when he'd asked to see her erection.

"So is that your lady boner digging into me right now, or are you carrying a pickle in that robe?"

It had the desired effect, even as he got a sick feeling in his stomach when she abruptly let got and got off of him. Hange turned away from him, cursing under her breath.

"Sorry," she said, hugging her robe closed. "The pill hasn't kicked in yet. Maybe you should go, Levi."

He hesitated. He didn't understand why such a seemingly shameless individual would be so touchy about a bodypart that functioned the same as any other alpha female. He even felt bad for using it against her to stop a situation that could have easily gotten out of control quickly. He'd done virtually the same thing to her a few hours ago, jumping her and pinning her down. Hange hadn't tried to shame him or make him uncomfortable, and genital modesty aside, he knew exactly how she must be feeling right now.

"Oi, Hange, I shouldn't have said that," he admitted softly. "I don't know what's going on that you haven't told me, but that was a shitty thing for me to do."

"You're fine," she insisted. "I needed a smack with the clue bat, anyway. I had some fresh clothes brought from the launders for you while you were out a few hours ago. I had them take your wet clothes to be washed." She nodded at the dresser, where Levi had seen a folded pile of clothes on top earlier but hadn't thought anything of it. "Right over there, grump. You don't have to worry about anyone seeing you in wet pants, this time."

Levi got up to retrieve them, and he took one of the folded handkerchiefs off the pile sitting next to his clothing. He wiped off with it, and he tossed it into the dirty clothes basket by Hange's dead plant. He looked back at his companion silently as he pulled his fresh pants on. Hange sat silently and pensively on the edge of the bed. She hadn't moved. She just sat there with her robe folded tightly around her body, almost hugging herself.

Levi felt like he'd traumatized her, but he still couldn't understand how.

* * *

-To be continued

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> End of chapter recap:
> 
> Hange: "Glad you're awake, Levi. I'm sure you feel weak right now--"
> 
> Levi: *Throws Hange down and pins her*
> 
> Hange: "...or not. My, I wasn't expecting this."
> 
> (Marathon sex ensues) 
> 
> Levi: "Hey, did you piss inside of me?"
> 
> Hange: "Uh...no. Lemme 'splain..."
> 
> Levi: "No shit? Let me see." *tugging at the sheets*
> 
> Hange: "N-no! Now I'm going to get weirdly shy and awkward. Stop it!"
> 
> Levi: "But I've never seen one. Come one, four eyes."
> 
> Hange: "I said no! Quit it, Levi. You smell too good and now I'm ashamed."
> 
> Levi: ლ(ಠ_ಠლ) "What the fuck did I say?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I was going to try to update "Encore", but since I'm a little stuck on that one right now, I might as well update whatever's flowing well, right? Enjoy!

Levi never slept for long. He hardly even slept in his bed, falling asleep in the armchair at his desk more often than not. He came awake with a start when the bell rang to signal the day's duties. He looked around blearily until he saw the clock on the wall of his quarters. He'd given himself a sponge bath when he returned to his room after the encounter with Hange, but a real bath before starting the day wouldn't hurt. He had about an hour to get cleaned up before he had to get started.

Thankfully, there was nobody else present in the men's bathroom when he went in there, and he opted to use the pump shower rather than risk letting his and Hange's mixed pheromones scent the bathwater and alert anyone. He washed as much of the lingering blend of scents off as he could, washed his hair as well, and then dressed in fresh uniform clothes. He spritzed up and put his dirty clothes in the laundry basket in his quarters before he began to do his rounds. He passed Mike in the hallway, and he kept his expression bored and neutral as they passed one another. He could feel the big blond man's eyes on him, and when Mike paused to sniff the air in his direction, Levi narrowed his eyes and turned to regard him.

"Got a cold or something?"

"Hmph. Just curious." came Mike's monotone reply.

Levi fully turned around to face him, in no mood to play games. "About what, hound? You know how creepy it is when you do that shit?"

Mike sniffed, and he touched his nose with the tip of one fingertip. "My sense of smell has its uses, and not just for titan scouting. What's up with you and Hange?"

Levi felt a shard of panic, but it didn't show on his face. "Explain."

Mike shrugged. "Just noticing you two smell like each other a lot, is all."

"And I'll bet you and Erwin smell like each other too," Levi shot back, "as much time as you spend together. So what? I've got Jaeger under my care and Hange's our titan expert. Of course we're around each other more often now."

Mike regarded him quietly for a moment, and then a bare smirk curved his lips. "Yeah. That must be it. See you around."

Levi didn't waste time watching the man, guessing Mike was testing him and would be expecting that. He played it off like it was nothing, but his footsteps quickened the slightest bit as he made his way to Erwin's office to hand in his reports on the training progress of the 104th, along with his account of how testing with Eren Jaeger was coming along. He wasn't very surprised to find Hange in the commander's office already when he got there. She was yawning and nursing a steaming cup of something that wasn't tea. He didn't know what it was, but it gave off a faint licorice smell and it was pungent. Probably one of her own "wake up" herbal concoctions.

"Good morning, Levi," greeted Hange in her usual, friendly way. "You don't have a cup of tea? That's unusual."

Levi shrugged, and he handed his paperwork over to Erwin. "I was on my way to get some and have breakfast. I'm running behind."

"Please, have a seat," invited Erwin with a gesture at the empty chair beside Hange's. "I need to speak with you both, actually."

Levi cursed inwardly, and yet he still maintained his bored expression as he complied. He purposely leaned back in a lazy, relaxed manner and he rested his arms on the back of his chair, not looking at Hange. "So what's up, chief?"

"How do I put this?" mused Erwin. He stacked the paperwork before resting his hands on the surface of his desk, one folded over the other. He looked between the two of them as he continued. "The two of you were both behaving oddly yesterday, and I wasn't the only one to notice. Granted, Hange had just come in from her journey here, and I make allowances for her busy schedule, but I've heard that you passed out in the corridors yesterday, Levi."

"That was just a fever," Hange said quickly. "I told you already, Erwin. He had food poisoning and it started to hit him during the meeting. It came on pretty fast, and I took care of him until he felt better in the wee hours of the morning."

"Food poisoning." Erwin's sharp blue gaze fixated on Levi. "Everyone else had the same meal yesterday at noon. Nobody else experienced those symptoms."

"Oh, I said food poisoning, but I meant an allergic reaction," Hange interjected before Levi could so much as open his mouth. "I found out there were traces of nutmeg in the stew, and as you know, it's on Levi's medical record that he has an allergy to nutmeg. Lucky for us he didn't balloon up and simply got a fever and nausea from it."

Levi didn't try to contradict her excuse, seeing as he couldn't think of anything better. Erwin opened up a drawer in his desk that Levi and Hange both knew contained the personal files of all the officers. He thumbed through them to find Levi's, and he looked through it. He nodded after a moment. "Yes, here it is: Nutmeg. Well then, we must make a rule from now on that whomever is on cooking duty write down a list of all ingredients they use, so that incidents like this don't happen again."

"I'll relay that order," offered Levi, relieved and again grateful for Hange's quick thinking. She could really spin some bullshit when she needed to.

"Good." Erwin replaced the file folder. "Hange, how is your new tranquilizing formula coming along?"

For a moment, Hange looked like she'd been hit over the head. Levi nudged her. "You know, the one we were on our way to check in on when my allergic reaction hit me."

"Oh. OH, THAT!" Hange snapped her fingers. "Ah, I'm sorry, Erwin. I didn't actually get to it in time and the titan sample disintegrated before I could properly record the results. I'll keep working on that."

"I see. Pity." Erwin checked through some more paperwork. "Well, today is simply routine. Hange, you'll need to do more testing with Eren Jaeger while you're here. I have to leave soon for the capital, to finalize the funding of our next expedition."

The commander paused, and he looked at both of them with a slight frown. "One more thing: during our meeting today, I detected a faint aroma coming from somewhere within the meeting room. It didn't last for long, but if I didn't know better, I would think it came from an omega. Did either of you notice it?"

Hange shook her head and shrugged. "Not a whiff, sir."

Levi folded his arms over his chest. "I'm a beta. I probably couldn't smell an omega if it were right up beside me."

"Strange." Erwin took up his quill, and he dipped it into the ink. "Mike smelled it too, and he thought it was coming from somewhere near the two of you. Hange, you're certain you didn't smell anything similar?"

"I can't say that I did," she reiterated. "But you need to keep in mind that I'd come in from a long day's travel, and I had road dust up my nose. Maybe my sense of smell was compromised. Hey, I believe one of the cleaning ladies that comes out here once a week might be an omega. Maybe you were picking up on her lingering scent. Now that you mention it, I thought I smelled _something_ , but I was too busy listening to your briefing to identify it. That could have been it."

"Ah, that would make sense," agreed Erwin. "Dismissed. Have a good day, the both of you."

* * *

The pair walked out of Erwin's office together, and for a moment, they stood in the hallway just staring at one another. Hange decided to break the uncomfortable silence. "You should come to my lab later on for an examination. You know, to make sure you've recovered from the allergic reaction. I've only got a couple of days to be here before I have to go back to the holding facility and resume my work with Sawney and Bean."

Levi nodded, catching on. "Yeah. I'll be down there after I finish my rounds and get some cleaning done."

"Pfft, we just had cleaners come through here the other day, Levi." Hange chuckled, shaking her head in wonderment at his obsessive need to have every speck of dirt eliminated. "That's obviously where the omega scent came from."

She nudged him as a reminder of her brilliant and sudden excuse to throw Erwin off the scent.

Levi's brows furrowed briefly. "So you're suggesting I shouldn't clean this week?"

Hange glanced around. Seeing that the coast was clear, she took Levi's arm and led him off to a windowed alcove. She bent over to speak into his ear. "I know how crazy it must make you to let a little dust build up, shrimp, but this presents some camouflage. Mike's going to be sniffing around all over the place now, and with the proper use of the spritz I gave you, he can't conclusively associate that omega scent with you. Not when we have someone coming in here weekly that gives it off, herself."

"And you don't think it's going to draw suspicion when I suddenly stop drilling everyone about the upkeep of this place?" Levi made an annoyed sound. "Think about it, four eyes."

Hange grimaced. Levi _was_ a notorious hard-ass when it came to cleaning. He usually had two days a week—which he rotated so that it was never the same two days—in which everyone present had to participate in cleaning. He also had a laundry schedule, a stable duty schedule, a weeding schedule and a cooking schedule. So far, the only person he'd taken off the cooking schedule was Hange herself. She'd gotten out of a lot of this drudgery lately thanks to her research schedule.

"I see your point, but if you keep the place _too_ immaculate, Mike's going to start wondering why he's still smelling so much omega scent around here."

Levi tightened his jaw. "Then I'll just use more of your spray."

"I don't know, Levi." Hange sighed, and she scratched her mussed ponytail. "If it were just Erwin's sense of smell, I'd think it would be enough. Don't forget though; we're dealing with his ridiculous observation talents and Mike's honker. The spray alone might not be enough."

She leaned in closer to speak directly into his ear, and she breathed in his scent before voicing another reminder. "If this happens again, I don't know if Mike is going to fall for the excuse that one of the weekly hired helpers is an omega. Levi...your scent is pretty fucking strong."

Even now, with his cycle having passed and Hange being refreshed on suppressants, she could detect that scent. It made her want to be closer to him, and she gritted her teeth and pulled back. Perhaps it was in her imagination. She had, after all, spent the entire night fucking him. If he smelled as engaging as she thought, surely Erwin would have noticed it while they were in his office. Still, there was safe, and then there was safer.

"Do yourself a favor. Cut down on the cleaning schedule. Make it a one day per week rotation."

Levi grumbled. "Fine." He looked away, and she might have imagined the little shudder that went through him. "General housekeeping can be cut back, unless Erwin gets tighter with the budget and we have to let the hired help go. 'Till then, I guess..."

He sighed and bowed his head.

Hange felt sorry for the guy. It was certainly going to be an exercise in restraint for Levi to avoid cleaning away every speck of dust and every smell in the place on a regular basis. She squeezed his shoulder, and she ducked her head a little to try and meet his downcast eyes.

"Hey. It's going to be all right."

"Tch. I'll manage. I'm not skimping on latrine or stable duties, though." He lifted his gaze to give her a look that dared her to contradict her. "Some things you can't go half-assed on, because—"

"—Shit stinks," she finished for him, speaking in unison with him. She chuckled at his shrug, and she dared to give his hair a brief ruffle. "I know, grump. I'm just asking you not to have a crew assigned to cleaning this place from bottom to top twice a week. Let another omega's smell linger in these halls, for your own good."

He met her gaze, slapping her hand away irritably. "I don't need a protector."

Hange blinked, and she immediately sobered. "Was I coming off that way? I didn't mean to."

_~I just care too much about you not to feel...well...protective.~_

She shook her head, remembering a time not very long ago when she'd felt the same for another person. "You're my friend. I'm just watching your back, Levi."

His grumpy visage relaxed a little as he considered her. "Just don't set your own ass on fire trying to save mine, idiot."

Hange chuckled, and she caught hold of one his pinky fingers in hers, twining them together quickly. "Scout's honor. Don't forget our appointment tonight after duty hours, Levi."

He put up with her dramatics, and he shrugged. "Sure. I'll be there."

* * *

Several hours later, Hange gave Levi a thorough physical that had him feeling strange. He couldn't decide if he felt violated or turned on. Usually the former was true after having his regular physicals, but it was different with Hange. He kept wanting her to touch this spot a little longer, or run her fingers down that spot a little slower. Thankfully he managed to get through the whole thing without getting into an embarrassing state, but her gleeful announcement that he needed to piss in a cup for her pretty much stalled his inappropriate feelings of excitement.

"You're taking too much joy out of this," accused Levi after coming out of the small lavatory. He held the collection cup out to her with a grimace. "Your piss, Queen Creepy."

Hange made a show of taking it from him regally, like royalty accepting a crown or a scepter. "Why thank you, King Grump."

Levi started to smirk, amused in spite of himself. Then as he watched, Hange lifted the urine sample to her nose and sniffed at it. His face screwed up before he even realized it. "Just what in the hell do you think you're _doing_?"

Hange stopped sniffing, and she raised a brow in an almost elegant manner, the lenses of her glasses flashing in the overhead light of the hanging lanterns. "I'm testing the bouquet, of course. That's how wine tasters do it, right?"

Levi felt his eyes widening. "You sick, sick bitch."

Hange blurted a laugh, and she put the sample down carefully on her table lined with various chemical mixtures and vials. "Oh would you relax? I wasn't going to drink it!" She started to laugh hysterically then, squatting down and crossing her thighs as if afraid she might soon add her own urine sample to the floor. "Y-you should have seen your face!"

"It's not funny," he groused.

"Oh, come on." Hange composed herself and straightened up, waving a negligent hand his way—and nearly toppling over a round-bottomed container of one of her concoctions in the process. "You ask me about my shitting habits on a regular basis, and now you're getting bashful because I smelled your pee?"

"I ask if you're regular," snapped Levi, "because...it's...important. I don't go into the fucking toilet and smell it after you've had a shit."

Hange was clearly having trouble with her composure. She plopped down on one of the wooden seats near the wall, and she gave a protesting yelp. "Ow, son of a bitch! Right in the butt. I've got to have words with Erwin about replacing some of the chairs in this lab."

Levi watched as the alpha female leaned to one side to pluck at an apparent splinter she'd gotten. He glanced away, finding the sight of her picking at the spot a little too interesting.

"Okay, I give up. Why'd you smell my piss?"

Hange looked up from her task. "Hmm? Oh, that. Well, as you know, alphas can detect omega heat. I was checking to see if there was anything lingering in your piss that might give you away if you relieve yourself in front of anyone."

"Oh." He said it flatly, his face going blank. "So what's the verdict?"

"I don't think it's too strong." Hange shrugged. "I think most alphas would have to be close to the source to smell it, and if it's not me—"

"Then someone's getting booted across the room," finished Levi for her. Realizing what he'd just said, he frowned. "I mean, you're the only alpha that has any business in that vicinity."

He was saying it all wrong. His face felt hot and Levi wished he were still behind the privacy curtain changing clothes. "You know what I mean."

Hange turned around, making a curious snorting sound. She cleared her throat, turned back around and took a deep breath before responding. "I understand. Why don't you hop back on the table again for a moment, Levi?"

"Why?" He looked at her with guarded suspicion. She'd already taken blood from him, done standard examinations and made him hold his bladder to pee in a cup for her. "What more can you do to me, shitty glasses?"

"I just want to listen to your heart again. Quick, quick!"

He hopped up on the table compulsively, still not understanding. He didn't stop her when she again placed her stethoscope drum against his chest and fit the earpieces in. He watched as she leaned in close with the silver tubes sticking out of her ears, and he breathed in slowly as advised when she spoke softly. He could feel his pulse quickening...he didn't need Hange to tell him it was.

"Why are you doing this a second time?" Levi asked between breaths. He jerked a little involuntarily when the cool drum scooted over to rest just above his left nipple. He stared down at her head, so close to his chest. His fingers itched to reach out and thread themselves through that perpetually messy arrangement she kept her hair in...smooth out the tangles...wash them...maybe put a little tea conditioner in there...

"Measuring the effects of..." was all he heard from her before Hange lapsed into concentrated silence.

Levi checked a sigh, putting up with more of it until she was finally satisfied. Hange pulled back, removed the earpieces and scribbled something down. Levi leaned a little to the side, trying to see over her hunched shoulder. "So? What did that do for you?"

"Probably more than it should have," came the muttered response.

"Hange," the captain gritted out, "if you know what's going on with me, share."

Hange put down her notebook, turned around and looked up at the seated omega with a faintly apologetic look. "I don't yet, Levi. I'm sorry. I'm conducting all tests that I can with what time I've got available. Here."

Levi looked down at her outstretched hands, offering support to get off the table. He hopped down without her help, and Hange backed off and spread her hands. She seemed a little frustrated. He reached up and back to rub his left shoulder, feeling his tension rising. Seemed like there was a lot of tension between the two of them, now. He still didn't know how it started. He could only presume it had something to do with her lady boner and him asking to see it. Levi wasn't schooled on social graces, though. He didn't know what to say or how to fix this tension between them.

"I...appreciate it."

Hange turned back around again to look at him. "Hmm?"

He sighed. "I said I appreciate it," he explained. He nodded at the notebook. "This shit you're doing for me, I mean."

Hange echoed his sigh. She clasped the notebook against her chest, and she nearly looked like she was pouting. "I said I would. Levi, do you believe I'm your friend?"

He stared into her eyes, and he took a moment to really _see_ her. He respected this crazed person much more than he demonstrated in public. She was a lunatic by anyone's standards, and yet she was braver than anyone he'd ever met, willing to take chances that weren't based on calculated tactics, but on sheer instinct.

Levi nodded. "Yeah. I believe you're my friend."

Hange smiled then. She smiled so widely that it was almost frightening, but the outright joy that lit up her eyes completely suffused the mad quality in that grin of hers. She abruptly tossed the notebook down and she hugged Levi close. He stumbled and blabbered a protest against her shoulder as he found himself suddenly smushed to that spot. He started to push away, but then Hange bowed her head over his shoulder and she whispered huskily into his ear, her deep voice full of emotion.

"Thank you."

He felt another moment of panic, not sure what to do. He gingerly put his arms around her, because he didn't want to shove her away right now. He patted her back slowly. "Don't mention it."

* * *

Much later that night, Hange couldn't sleep. She kept thinking of Levi and the way she'd reacted when he'd been curious about her alpha anatomy. The booze wasn't helping much; she was drinking alone. She wouldn't get results from her tests on him for hours to come, and she had no titan subjects there to experiment on. The past kept drudging itself up, and she found herself choking back old sobs of regret. Finally, she went to the ramparts of the keep when the moon was high in the sky. She slid down the flag pole and she uncorked her bottle, prepared to take another swig.

"Hey."

Hange sat bolt upright, and she half-twisted to see a familiar cloaked figure coming her way. "Hi, Levi."

"Don't stand up," he advised softly. "Doubt you could if you even tried, right now."

Hange turned back around, banging the back of her head softly against the pole she rested against.

"Quit that, idiot," Levi's voice said in her ear, and his hand tangled into her ponytail to stop her motions. "We don't need our titan expert pummeling herself into a coma."

Hange was so used to Levi tugging on her hair by now that she bypassed the reflexive complaint. She turned her head back and looked up at his moon-shadowed form. "I've come up with jack-shit, you know."

Levi released her hair, and he slid down to take a seat exactly on her opposite side of the pole. He folded one leg outwards, and he looked up at the moon. He tilted his head to speak around the pole to Hange.

"You're doing better than anyone else. Nobody else is crazed enough to do what you do."

Hange coughed a bitter laugh, half-caught between swigs. "You know, one thing I love about you is your candor."

"I excel at that," came the bland reply.

She could feel the warmth of him radiating behind her, even with that cold flag pole between them. Hange lifted her bottle, watching as it caught the reflection of the moonlight. "Hey Levi...can we confess to each other again? You have to start, though."

There was a soft huff, and the pole rattled a little as Levi squirmed more comfortably against it. "Sure. What the hell."

Hange really wanted to explain herself, but not before he asked. Getting Levi to ask anything anything was a task, though. Hange thought on it, and she offered the bottle to the man seated to her back behind her. "It's okay: I brushed my teeth."

"Still has shared spit." Levi seemed to consider that. "I guess it's past the point of worrying about that."

"There you go. Nice attitude." Hange finished passing the bottle to him, and when he accepted it, she took a deep breath. "Okay, you first."

"It was your idea," reminded Levi after a swig. He made a gagging sound, followed by a rasping inquiry. "What the fuck is _in_ this?"

"Ah, just my personal brew combined with whatever I could get, dear." Hange took the bottle back, and she took the next swig with a shiver. "Think of it as a form of Moonshine."

"More like 'shitshine'," coughed Levi...yet he didn't refuse the bottle when she passed it back. "So...talk. What do you want me to share?"

"Umn...how about your first love?"

Levi seemed to deflate. "Never had one. Fuck, does it have to come to this?"

Hange made a rather interesting facsimile of a gargoyle face. "Never mind."

Levi swerved around the flagpole and grabbed her shoulder. "You asked."

Hange took another swig, shivered, and then passed it to Levi. "Okay. How'd this turn into me talking first?"

"Easy. You asked."

Hange laughed in spite of herself. Sometimes Levi's logic was just so...simple. "Do you really want to hear it?"

"I wouldn't have asked if I didn't." He took a swig, coughed a little and gave the bottle back.

She sighed, and she rested her head back against the pole. "All right. I used to be engaged."

Behind her, Levi tensed. "What?"

"Engaged," repeated Hange. "To an omega. Her name was Alison. We even had plans to start a family."

Levi was silent for several moments. Finally, he spoke in a soft voice. "So what happened?"

Hange took another drink from the bottle, shuddered a bit, and then passed it back to him again. "I joined the Survey Corps, that's what. Alison and I met studying medicine. She went on to work at the hospital in Stohess. I was going to do the same, but then I found out that Survey Corps needed someone to head the science department. I felt obligated to join. I wanted to learn all I could about the titans."

Hange breathed a sigh, and she bowed her head. "Alison didn't support my decision. She tried to talk me out of it. When I wouldn't budge, she broke things off with me."

Levi leaned around the pole to look at her. Hange met his eyes, and she saw what might have been sympathy in his gray eyes. "Shitty thing for her to do. So just like that, she tossed the relationship?"

Hange took the offered bottle from him, and she shrugged. "She said I was throwing my life away. As soon as I penned my name in the recruitment form, she considered me already dead." The titan expert laughed a little bitterly, and she took a swig. "I'll bet she'd be surprised to learn I'm still very much alive today. She expected me to get swallowed up by a titan the moment I took my first step outside the walls."

"Tch. She didn't respect your abilities," reasoned Levi. "Her loss."

That brought a little smile to Hange's lips. The loss of her former lover still pained her at times, but the ache had faded and Levi—whether intentional or not—had bandaged the wound. "You make me happy, grump."

"You sure you don't mean 'miserable'?"

Hange turned completely around, spinning in place on her rump to face him. "Hey, look at me."

Levi turned around as well, so that they were facing one another cross-legged. He seemed curious. "Okay, I'm looking."

Hange was feeling buzzed now, and as such, she was also feeling emboldened. She reached out to cup the raven-haired scout's chin, and she leaned in to plant a swift kiss on his lips. "What you give me is so much more than what I lost, kiddo. I love you."

Levi stared at her, and she began to think she might have said too much. "Y-you know," she stammered, trying to make it a bit more casual. "Because you're my friend. I can trust you not to turn on me."

Levi kept staring at her. Hange squirmed, and she bit her lip. "Too much?"

He finally looked away, and he took the bottle from her and had a sip. "Guess I'm just not used to getting compliments like that. I think you're the only person that's told me they love me since my mom was still alive."

"Oh." Hange reached out and squeezed his knee. "Well, I think you should hear it more often, then. I love you, Levi."

He met her gaze again. "We're friends, right?"

Hange nodded, confused. "The best of friends, in my eyes. Don't you know that by now?"

"So it wouldn't be right for me to kiss you right here and now."

Hange's heart skipped a beat. Just what was this turning into? It seemed to be evolving into something that neither of them had planned for. "Why not? Friends can kiss, right? We don't have to be fucking to do it."

Levi snorted. "So you're telling me you slip Erwin the tongue now and then, because hey, friends do that?"

"Well of course not." Hange took the bottle from him and had another swig. "But...Erwin's a _different_ kind of friend. I'm not fucking him."

"Better not be," he muttered, dead serious.

It was Hange's turn to stare. She started to grin helplessly. "Levi, do I detect a hint of jealousy in your tone?"

He flushed and dropped his gaze. "I don't get jealous. I just like to know I'm not going somewhere other guys are going. I like what's mine to be _mine_. Shit...I said that wrong."

Hange cupped his chin and leaned forward. "No, I think you said it just right, handsome."

She didn't care if it was inappropriate. She didn't care if they were supposed to save kissing for when they were taking care of Levi's heat. She closed the distance between their mouths and she kissed him soundly. Levi stiffened briefly, and then his lips parted to accept her tongue. He sucked on the probing muscle so erotically that it made Hange's toes curl in her boots. This was by far the hottest kiss they'd shared yet, because it wasn't happening as a prelude to sex. It was just...happening.

"Levi," she murmured between kisses, tracing his lips with her tongue. "Maybe it's the moonshine talking, but could we be...more than friends?"

He pulled back to regard her thoughtfully. "What, you mean like lovers? Full time?"

Hange felt herself blushing. "I don't want to ruin what we have. I'm skittish about relationships and I know you are too, but if you think about it, the only thing that makes us 'just friends' is the fact that we keep labeling it that way. I like spending time with you. I like our talks, I like fighting at your back, I like how easily we read each other both in the combat field and out of it. We just...fit. Am I wrong?"

"I don't think you're wrong," he whispered, looking away to the right. "But I don't know much about being in romantic relationships. I think I'd suck at it. I don't want to ruin anything between us, either."

She swallowed, and she nearly agreed with him. An idea came to her, however. "Then why don't we test the waters and find out? If it starts to cause issues, then we can agree to back off and go back to our usual arrangement."

He met her gaze again, wavering. "Think we can do that? Just go back to being friends and fuck buddies once we cross that line?"

Hange nodded. "I really do. We're practically a couple now, as it is. The only thing different would be that we don't just kiss when you're in heat, and I might hold your hand in public now and then. And...erm..."

She took a steadying breath. "And we don't just have sex when you're in heat. That's the other thing that would change."

Levi's eyes widened briefly, and then narrowed. "So we just fuck for the sake of fucking?"

He said it like the entire concept was foreign to him, and Hange couldn't contain a bark of laughter. "Well I'm not saying we _have_ to do it, sweetheart. I'm not going to try to force it on you when you aren't in the mood. I'm just saying that we would do it like any other couple, and we won't need your heat as an excuse to. Um...you _do_ have urges regularly, don't you? You aren't asexual?"

"I don't know what that word even means," admitted Levi with a shrug, "but yeah, I get horny, if that's what you're asking. It doesn't just happen when I'm in heat. It sucks too, because it's really inconvenient and humiliating when I spring a woody for no goddamned reason."

Hange covered her mouth on another chuckle, and she cleared her throat. "Do you know what that means, Levi?"

"No, what?"

She leaned in again to brush her lips softly against his. "It means you're an ordinary guy. Congratulations."

"Hmph. Easy for you to say. I'll bet you don't have this problem."

"Oh really?" Hange's brows went up. She sighed. "How I sometimes wish that were the case, but alas, I get lady boners more often than you think. If you want to talk about awkward, try being the only alpha female in your regiment and being around other women in the bath when it happens. Beta females don't have...um..."

"A dick?" he supplied helpfully.

Hange grimaced. "It's not a dick. My clit just enlarges enough to be comparable to one, smart-ass."

Levi glanced down at her crotch. "So if we start dating exclusively, does that mean you'll finally let me see it when it's hard?"

Hange bit her lip, and her blush returned. That fear came back...the fear that he might get completely freaked out when he saw her in a full state of arousal without anything concealing it. "I don't want to creep you out," she admitted softly.

"Is that what you're afraid of?" Levi met her gaze again. "Hange, I've only ever seen glimpses of snatch before. Hell, you're the first woman I've ever gone all the way with. I don't have any basis of comparison. Might even make me feel a little more confident, because your junk is more similar to mine than any beta woman I could be with."

Hange absorbed that comment, turning it over in her mind. It actually made a weird sort of sense. Levi was not by far the typical male. He didn't fit into any stereotype she could think of, and perhaps he wouldn't be put off by the sight of her at full mast as she feared. She took a deep breath, and she reached out to put her hands on his shoulders. Leaning forward again, she pressed her forehead against his and she closed her eyes.

"Yes. If we take this step, of course you can see it."

"Okay. Let's do it, then."

Hange opened her eyes and pulled back to stare at him suspiciously. "Really? All it takes for you to agree to be my man is the promise of seeing my lady boner?"

He smirked. "Guess I'm a simple guy after all. Yeah, you've got me curious. I just hope I don't disappoint you by sucking too much at this relationship thing."

Hange smiled, feeling a little more confident. "My dear, I really don't think you'll be as bad at it as you think. Like I said: we're practically a couple already. So, can we seal the deal with a kiss?"

"Sure."

He covered her lips with his own, and she was surprised by how deeply he kissed her. So much for her theory that Levi was too shy to kiss in public without someone else initiating it.

* * *

-To be continued

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mike: "Something smells fishy."
> 
> Levi: "Then quit having tuna for breakfast. You're smelling your own nasty breath."
> 
> Mike: "Touchy, aren't you?"
> 
> Hange (sniffing Levi's pee): "Excellent vintage." 
> 
> Levi: (ಠ_ಠ) "You've got to be shitting me."
> 
> Hange: "HAHA! You really thought I was going to drink it!"
> 
> Levi: "Shut up."
> 
> Hange: "Hey Levi, we should just start dating. We're practically an item as it is."
> 
> Levi: "...do I get to see your dick if I agree?"
> 
> Hange: "It's a clit, not a dick!"
> 
> Levi: "Not by the way you describe it."
> 
> Hange: "*sigh* Fine. I'll let you see it, but don't run away screaming, okay?"
> 
> Levi (overcome with curiosity): "Okay, let's date, then."


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lemon warning

Later that evening, Hange went to Levi's quarters and knocked on the door. She ran her fingers through her freshly washed hair, and she took a deep breath. She hoped she was presentable enough for her immaculate little love. She was nervous. Tonight could be the night. It seemed foolish to be so anxious about the possibility of making love when she and Levi had done it well over a dozen times before, but this would be their first time to be intimate just for the sake of it.

He opened the door, and he was wearing a black bath robe, evidently preparing for bed. Hange found herself staring at his chest, partly exposed through the open V of the robe.

"Oh. Right," she said when he lifted his brows inquisitively. "Hi there, cute stuff."

"Hi." Levi stepped aside, silently inviting her in.

His sleepy gaze scanned her from head to slipper-clad toe. She was wearing a long, button up shirt that once had been white, but was now more of a beige color due to multiple stains and age. She padded softly into his quarters, the insulation of her fuzzy yellow slippers muffling her footsteps. She stopped in the middle of the room, looking around as if seeing the interior for the first time. She'd never noticed the big peacock plume in the black vase on his cherrywood dresser, before. Unlike herself, he had an actual live plant sitting on his windowsill. It was in a white square pot, and it looked like a succulent of some sort. A pretty yellow flower crowned the top of the middle protrusion.

"Oh, this is nice," Hange remarked, walking over to the window. "When did you get it?"

"After our last expedition." Levi shrugged, closing and locking the door behind him. "Some civilian lady gave it to me at the gates when we came back. I guess not everyone looks down on the scouts for what we do."

"Well that was sweet of her." Hange's jaw clenched, and she wondered what this mystery woman looked like. Was the cactus just a platonic gift of thanks, or had she been hoping to catch the captain's eye? The thought of someone else flirting with Levi put her on edge, and Hange chuckled at herself for being so possessive of him. They'd only _just_ started dating, and she was ready to scent mark the hell out of him to warn off any would-be suitors.

"What are you snickering about?" he demanded, crossing the room to stand before her with his arms folded over his chest.

"Alpha territorialism," she confessed. She turned around to face him, letting her gaze rove over his body boldly. "I'm not immune to it, after all."

Levi smirked, and his eyes flashed cunningly. "You don't like the thought of another woman eyeing your man, huh?"

"Nope." She wasn't even going to try to deny it, and she put her arms around him to pull him close. "You're mine now, tiny captain." She kissed his chin, then his jaw. "All mine."

"Damn, we've only been officially dating for half a day," he said a little breathlessly. "You aren't going to turn into one of those crazy people that beat up anyone that looks at me sideways, are you?"

Hange chuckled huskily, and she sucked on the spot on his neck where his scent glands were. "I'm already crazy on a good day, love. What makes you think I'll be logical about staking out my territory?"

"Nothing." His hands slipped around her waist, and he tilted his head to the side to give her greater access to the spot she was licking and sucking at. "Hey, don't leave a mark. I don't need Erwin asking questions about hickeys."

"Sure you do," hummed Hange. She sucked harder, leaving a raspberry stain where the blood rose to the surface. "If he sees it, he'll know you're taken."

"Or we could just try telling him," groused Levi, but he didn't push her away.

"Hmm, that too. I still need to leave my mark, though." With that said, Hange yanked his robe open and began rubbing her wrists all over him. "My scent, too. I want every alpha for miles to know you're my omega."

Her statement had the desired effect on him. Levi's breath quickened, and his cock started to harden. "Shit, four eyes. I didn't know you were this territorial."

"I have good reason to be, now." Hange started guiding him toward the bed, her pulse hammering loudly in her ears as her sexual urges started taking over. She wasn't nervous anymore. At least, she wasn't nervous until Levi reached down and between her legs to cup her growing arousal. "Oh...L-Levi, hold on a minute."

"Don't start getting shy on me all the sudden," he warned. "You're obviously here to fuck, and this whole thing was your idea."

"Well yes, but...ack!"

The startled exclamation burst forth when Levi hooked his fingers into her panties and yanked them down. Hange didn't even get the chance to try and cover herself before she was shoved rudely backwards, falling onto her back over Levi's bed. She stared up at him, stunned. He pulled her panties the rest of the way off and he tossed them across the room, and then he looked down at her loins.

"Holy shit," he muttered, staring at the protrusion that had fully emerged and stood erect. "Why have you been bothering with that strap-on contraption, Hange? You're as big as some of the betas I've seen in the bath room."

She knew that her face must be bright red, by now. "I...you think so?" She started to cover her swollen clit with her hand, but Levi grabbed her wrist to stop her. "It doesn't turn you off?"

Levi shook his head slowly, staring at it as if in fascination. "Is it sensitive?" He followed up the question by circling the tip as it peeked out from the hood, swelling to full size.

Hange gasped and jerked, startled. Dear god, she hadn't been touched by anyone this way for so long, she'd forgotten what it was like. "Hell yes," she breathed. Her thighs twitched as he rubbed the tip in gentle, circular motions. "Levi...shit!"

"Too much?" Those bedroom eyes of his met hers questioningly, and his fingertips slowed their motion.

"No...just enough," she encouraged. He really wasn't intimidated by it. She felt like she'd been fretting over nothing.

"Hmm. You like that, huh?"

A soft, subtle little smile curved his lips. It was probably only the second time in their entire history of knowing each other that Hange had ever seen a smile from him. "Oh my. Levi, you're grinning."

His mouth immediately went back into repose, but the spark of pride in his gaze remained. "Maybe just a little." He pushed her thighs apart with his free hand, and he watched her as he continued to fondle the fleshy protrusion. "It does look like a cock. It's pinker than I thought it would be."

"It...it's basically the same thing," Hange tried to explain. A tremor went through her, and she reached out to grab his hips. "Damn, grump...you're going to...make me come if you keep that up."

"That's the idea." He ceased his fondling of the glans, and he gripped the length of it to give it a gentle stroke. "So, you never answered my question."

"Y-your question?" she repeated dumbly. Her eyes rolled with pleasure, and she rocked her hips into his touch.

"Why do you bother with that strap on when you do me?" he reiterated. "You could just fuck me with this thing instead. It would probably feel better for you, too."

"I wasn't sure...it was big enough to satisfy you," she admitted. Yes, she was big for an alpha female, but she didn't measure up to an alpha male by any means. "You deserve all the pleasure I can give you, Levi."

"That isn't the only reason," he guessed. "You did it to hide this from me, too."

"If you already...know that then...why are you asking?" She moaned as he started pumping his hand rhythmically, stroking his thumb over the tip each time his grip moved up the shaft. He was really good at this. It made Hange wonder if it really was his first time to touch an alpha female this way, or if he was just going by what he did to himself when he jerked off. Probably the latter.

Levi shrugged, meeting her gaze and holding it. "I wanted to hear it from you. You needed to admit it."

"Well, you got me." Hange bucked into his hand, and she squeezed his ass. "I was scared. I admit it."

"Now you know you don't have to be," he reasoned simply, and then he lowered his mouth to hers for a kiss. His tongue pushed into her mouth demandingly, and his hips rocked forward. Hange could feel his arousal pressing right against her entrance through the material of his robe, and an urge she'd never really felt before his last heat came over her. She'd felt this same urge when he got aggressive with her upon first waking from his faint. Her loins immediately began to moisten as if in approval of this uncommon feeling stealing over her. Levi's next words made it spike further.

"I want to fuck you," he purred.

Dizzy with pleasure and lust, Hange looked up at him. "Well, that _is_ what I came here for, darling. At least, that's what I was hoping would happen."

"No, I mean..." Levi seemed a little confused for a moment, and then he spoke into Hange's left ear. "I mean I want to _fuck_ you. I want to put it inside you."

"Oh?" Hange's eyes widened. "Oh! Well I'll be damned, I think you just read my mind, Levi. So _that's_ what my body's trying to tell me right now."

Levi blinked slowly. "You want it too?" He rubbed against her insinuatingly, and her breath caught. "Thought maybe I was crossing a line."

"When it comes to you, my little boop, there _are_ no lines," Hange assured him breathlessly. She reached around to his front, and she worked at the belt of his robe to get the bothersome material out of the way. "I want it, Levi."

" _'Little Boop'_?" He echoed, dark brows pinching. "Just how many stupid pet names am I gonna have to put up with, Hange?"

"At least one more." Grinning, she lifted her head off the mattress to rub her nose against his endearingly. "It's your fault for having such a cute fucking nose."

Levi grumbled a bit, but he was clearly too turned on to allow his irritation to linger. He closed his eyes and bit his lip as she parted his robe and grasped his swollen sex. "Shit."

"I swear that's your favorite word," Hange said with amusement. She stroked her hand slowly up and down his length, watching as Levi's normally deadpan expression lost the battle and softened into one of yielding pleasure. "You're so damned cute."

Levi rocked into her hand, and his stroking of Hange's aroused clit sped up. She moaned, pumping into his touch even as she returned the favor. It was so damned good. Had she ever felt this much excitement with a partner? She'd kidded herself before, believing nobody could ever take this part of who she was without the conditions surrounding it.

"Holy shit, you're really okay with this?" She was shy. She was actually fucking _shy_. Hange didn't know how to deal with that.

"Why do you keep asking?" Levi grunted a little, shoving into her gripping hand. "You make me lose my shit, Hange."

"You're...one to talk," she gasped. She parted her thighs further, unconsciously scooching down on the bed. "Levi..."

He stopped his attentions for a moment, but before she could feel any outrage at that, his fingers slipped lower to caress the folds of her entrance. Hange practically purred in response, already more than a little moist. She gasped when one of his fingers slid gently into her, and she angled her pelvis greedily.

"Levi!"

He stared down at her as he pushed in deeper. Whatever he lacked in experience, he more than made up for in confidence and boldness. His piercing gaze locked with hers as he moved the penetrating digit back and forth inside of her. He leaned forward a bit, rubbing the tip of his cock against the soft flesh he was currently penetrating. His lips parted, and a low sigh escaped him. His robe had slipped down over his shoulders, hanging open now due to Hange's actions. She stared up at him and she admired how sensual he looked in the moment. Alpha, Omega or Beta, she honestly didn't think she could have asked for a more attractive partner.

"You okay with me putting it in now?" Levi asked huskily.

"If you don't," Hange shot back, "I will."

She rubbed enticingly against him, aching to be filled for the first time. He pulled his finger out and he allowed her to guide him in. Eyes widening slightly, He pressed into her. Both of them caught their breath in response to the initial breach. Hange didn't quite know what to expect. There was a stretching sensation as his thick, hard sex wedged in, and then there was a slight burn. Deeper he thrust, and Hange grabbed his ass and encircled his waist with her legs.

"More," growled Hange. The sharpness of her own voice took her by surprise.

Levi grunted and obliged her. He paused for a moment, his arousal butting against something inside of her. He shoved a little, and Hange yelped as there was a brief pop. "Oh!"

"Shit, what was that?" panted Levi, now fully inside of her. He stared down at her with confused gray eyes, going still.

The pain was swift, but brief. "I think it was my hymen."

"Huh?" Levi trembled, and she swore she saw a flash of panic in those eyes.

"Hymen," reiterated the scientist. She squeezed his ass, taking a calming breath. "It's okay. I was just surprised I hadn't broken it yet with all of the horseback riding and fighting. It's normal. Even alpha women have one. You broke it cleanly."

Dawning comprehension leaked into his pleasured expression. "You saying I'm the first one to do this?"

Hange nodded, swallowing as she tried to adjust to the feel of him inside of her. "Yup. You just popped my cherry. This is a first for me this way, sweetheart."

Levi blinked, and he slowly withdrew a bit. He looked down to watch his arousal slip out to the tip, and he seemed slightly startled. "There's blood. Fuck...I didn't want to make you bleed."

"It's okay," encouraged Hange. She bit her lip, and she squeezed his ass again. "It only hurt for a second. Don't stop."

Levi eased into her again, tensing a little at the sensation caused by the act. "You sure?"

"Y-yes." Hange slid her hands up, dragging her fingertips over his toned back. "I'm fine, Levi. Keep going."

He took a deep breath, and he pulled back again, only to thrust back in with care. Hange's breath caught, and she examined the feelings it provoked with interest. There was a slight burn and an ache, but the slick feel of his hardness inside of her was amazing. "More," she encouraged huskily. "I won't break, dear."

"Don't be so sure about that," he gasped. He pulled back again, and then he shoved into her with more force, evoking a soft cry. "Shit...sorry."

"It's okay," she panted. "Fuck, that felt good. Do it again."

He complied, watching her with an intensity that might have been frightening if she didn't know him so well. Hange moaned softly, her fingers curving to grip his shoulders. She tossed her head back when he reached down to grip and stroke her clit again. Perhaps it was an awkward start for the both of them, seeing as it was apparently the first time either of them had ever done it this way, but Levi was coming through like a champ. Hange helped him when he started fumbling with the buttons of her shirt with his free hand, eager to rid herself of that last barrier of clothing.

"Fuck," gritted Levi, his jaw tensing. He'd accidentally popped one of her buttons off in his haste to get her shirt open.

Hange laughed, distracted from the pleasure by his genuine irritation with himself. "It will mend. Sex isn't supposed to be nice and neat, you silly thing."

Levi didn't respond. The strained look of concentration on his face and the perspiration now dotting his forehead caused a bit of concern. Hange reached up with one hand to caress his sculpted features. "So serious!"

"Just feels...so different," he mumbled. He started to roll his hips, falling back on battle instincts honed through years of ODM gear usage. He grunted, his stomach muscles bunching up. "Still okay, four eyes?"

"Yes," she assured him. "Oh!"

That seemed to be all the reassurance Levi needed. He started pumping steadily, bucking in firmly with each thrust. The angle he was using did queer things to Hange's insides. She kept getting little jolts of sensation each time the head of his cock nudged against her internal walls at this one specific little spot.

"Oh my," Hange panted. "I think...unh...Levi, I think you're hitting my g-spot! Shitfuck...so _that's_ what it feels like! I...didn't think I even...had one! Oh! OOOHHH!"

Her vocalizations evidently excited him further. He started pounding into her fiercely, issuing low, breathy groans each time he slammed home. He fondled her left breast, and then the right one. His eyes drifted closed and his sweet little mouth was parted. Hange traced his lips with her fingertips, staring up at him and admiring the look of sexual bliss on his face. The discomfort had faded now, and the combination of his touch and his thrusting cock was fast driving her to the edge.

"Levi, don't stop," she begged, crossing her ankles at the small of his back. She started undulating, trying to synchronize her motions with his. "Oh God, don't you _dare_ stop, you little shit!"

"Don't think I could if I wanted to," he rasped. A telling flush was spreading through his cheeks, and the flash of his gaze intensified even more. "Hange...shit!"

She'd begun squeezing him deliberately with her internal muscles, reacting out of instinctive compulsion. He seemed to enjoy it. He started panting harder and faster, the muscles of his torso tensing and relaxing with his thrusts. He rubbed the tip of her clit with his thumb, and that did Hange in. She all but screamed his name, and she started involuntarily clenching rhythmically around his pumping length. There was a brief little spurt from her clit; not nearly as much as what she produced when in rut, but impressive all the same because she honestly couldn't recall ever having ejaculated outside of a reproductive cycle before.

Hange curled up a bit, helpless against the onslaught of sensation. She wrapped her arms around Levi and she huffed against his chest. It seemed to just go on and on. "You're...killing me, runt!"

"Need me to...stop?" He panted tensely.

"No! Keep going!"

"Thank fuck." He pumped faster, almost frantically. His body went taut and he shoved into her one last time with a heavy groan. Hange felt the warmth of his semen filling her up, and she felt him trembling. Now that her orgasm had tapered off, she had regained some of her senses. She stroked his back soothingly, gasping for breath as Levi strained against her.

"Good boy," Hange breathed.

Levi collapsed on top of her, gasping against her ear as his strength seemed to leave him. Hange smiled goofily, and she combed her fingers through his soft, black hair. "Wow, that was beautiful, Levi."

Still trembling, he didn't say anything. Hange kept stroking his hair until he collected himself and lifted his head to look down at her. His pupils had expanded during his climax, and they were now shrinking back to normal size. He stared down at her in a kind of stupor for a moment, and then he closed in for a slow, sated kiss. There was something extraordinarily sweet in the gesture, and Hange felt her heart constricting.

She already knew she loved the surly little guy, but she didn't realize just how much until now. Hange was deeply, madly in love with him; possibly even more in love with him than she'd been with Alison.

"Shit," sighed Hange when Levi broke the kiss.

He frowned at her. "Not the kind of reaction I was looking for."

She chuckled, and she pinched him on the bottom. "I was just thinking out loud. You were wonderful. I wasn't kidding when I praised you."

"Then what were you thinking about?" pressed Levi. He eased out of her slowly, and he got off of her to turn on his side facing her. He traced her collarbone with his fingertips, caressing it in a lazy pattern.

"I was just thinking of how doomed I am, little boop."

Levi's fingers stilled, and he shot her an annoyed look. "You'd better not ever call me that in public, asshole."

Hange giggled, and she rolled onto her side as well. "I'll keep it between us. It can be my special, secret pet name for you."

Levi glanced down, and he did a double take. "Hey, where'd it go?"

"Hmm?"

"Your dick," he clarified.

"Clit," she corrected yet again. She looked down. "It didn't vanish, if that's what you mean. It retracted after I came. You've seen what I look like when I'm not in a state of arousal, Levi. I don't know why you're so surprised."

He stared at her bush. "Yeah, but I didn't expect it to shrink up and hide so damned fast."

Hange shrugged. "Don't worry, it'll make another appearance eventually. I've already explained to you that alpha females look just like any other females when we aren't erect."

Levi slipped a hand down, and he started fondling her. Hange sucked in a slow breath, taken by surprise. "Do you miss it already, cutie?"

He met her eyes briefly, before looking down at her loins again. "I can't be curious?"

"Sure you can." Hange's voice took on a husky note as his attentive fondling started to re-awaken her libido. "I'm just honestly surprised by how fascinated you seem to be with it."

Levi watched as her clitoris began to respond to the stimulation, the glans slowly peeking back out as he rubbed it. "Pretty convenient. Your junk stays out of the way until you're ready to fuck. At least you don't have to worry about constantly re-adjusting your package."

"It doesn't always stay out of the way," she explained with a smirk. "Sometimes I spring a lady boner at the most inconvenient times, just like you."

"I don't spring 'lady boners'," he snorted, "but I get what you mean." He kissed her again, and he murmured against her lips after a moment. "Oi Hange, you don't need to use that strap-on with me anymore."

She stared at him searchingly, and her breath quickened as his steady massage made her elongate again. "Are you sure about that? I'm rather endowed for a female, but I'm still average sized or smaller compared to beta males. I may not be able to satisfy you with my length and girth when you're in heat."

"Don't be an idiot," he retaliated. He met her eyes again. "If you could satisfy and omega female, you can satisfy me. Size isn't everything, right? You know how to fuck me just right, Hange. I don't think I need something huge inside of me. I need someone that knows how to use what they've got."

"Wow, if you aren't ever a bold-worded little shit." Her eyes had widened. Levi continuously amazed and surprised her, though she really oughtn't be so surprised by his smutty talk. The man never censored himself, after all.

Levi shrugged. "Just saying I don't think you need that thing to get me off. I think we should try going without it next time, and if it's not enough for me then we can go back to using it. Hey, does it always grow like this when you're turned on, or can you still get off when it's shrunk up inside of you?"

"Honestly? You make me get lady boners more than anyone I've ever met," she chuckled. "No, it doesn't have to be erect for me to orgasm, so if we're ever fooling around and 'Hange Junior' doesn't show up, don't worry. I can still get off. It's...ah, how to explain? I can actually have _two_ different kinds of orgasms. One is vaginal—and that's more common in alpha women—and the other is clitoral, like what I had just a few moments ago. Clitoral orgasms tend to happen more when I'm in a rut, and as you may have noticed, I can ejaculate."

"Tch. There's so much I don't know about your body," he sighed.

"Well, you didn't have a good reason to study up on my biology before now." Hange winked at him playfully, and she cuddled close, pushing into his stroking hand. "But since we're on the subject, this is why I might still have to use the strap-on when you need heat relief. I can't guarantee an erection every time, Levi; especially being on suppressants. I could stop taking them so that I can synch up with your cycles, but that means I could go into a rut without warning, just like your heats can strike at random times."

Hange kissed the tip of his nose. "You've never seen me in a full rut, handsome. It can be scary, so I'd rather not tempt fate."

"Heh. Well, I'd rather not put you through that anyway, if being in rut is anything like being in heat."

Hange smiled at him. He'd stopped fondling her to put an arm around her, and she didn't mind the break in stimulation for a bit of cuddle time. "You know Levi, you could go back on suppressants. I know you hate the way they make you feel during the first week of taking them, but if your cycles are going to be so unpredictable for a while, it may be the best option for you."

He sighed, and he took his arm away from her waist to comb his bangs away from his eyes with his fingers. "I'll think about it. I can't decide what's worse: being completely dead below the waste for a week or going from normal to slut mode in under a half hour."

Hange's smile softened with pity for him. "Male pride. It doesn't matter if it's an alpha, a beta or an omega...you guys are all so touchy about making sure your weenies are functioning at all times."

"Stop calling it a 'weenie', you freak. You make it sound like something you'd toss on the grill at a barbecue."

Hange snorted with laughter, and she snuggled him again. "Aww, don't be so sensitive. I like the word...it's cute!"

"No it isn't. It's creepy."

"I'll make a deal with you." Hange kissed Levi's right pectoral, loving the smoothness of his skin and the slightly rougher texture where the harness strap marks were at. "Stop calling my clitoris a dick, and I'll stop calling your dick a weenie."

Levi clicked his tongue. "Fine. You said it was like a dick yourself, though. It even looks like one."

He glanced down, and his brows furrowed a little. "Hey, it's gone again."

Hange rolled her eyes. "I feel so silly for ever worrying that you'd be freaked out by it. You're obsessed with it!"

Levi dragged his gaze back up, and he shrugged again. "It's new to me. I think it's kind of cool. Too bad I can't tuck mine up inside like that."

Hange pinched his chin. "Who would have guessed you have such a biologically inquisitive mind? I'm going to make a scientist out of you yet, tiny captain."

"Hey, don't threaten me like that."

She laughed outright at that, and she hugged him tightly.

* * *

The next day, Hange ran some tests on Eren Jaeger with Levi supervising in case the boy lost control and got aggressive in his titan form. The results seemed promising, and Eren seemed to be more coherent after his initial shifting each time he assumed his titan form. So far, he hadn't tried to attack anyone since the day he'd shifted to plug the hole in Wall Rose. Hange excitedly wrote down every detail of the test results, ready and willing to report them to Erwin.

"At this rate," she said to Levi while scribbling into the journal she'd dedicated to her research on Eren, "we should be good to go on the reclamation of Wall Maria within a couple of months!"

Levi watched her ink-stained, busy hand. He found the deft motions as she wrote oddly fascinating, and he kept thinking of what it felt like to have those strong, tanned hands clutching at him...touching him...fondling him...

"Shit."

Hange paused in her scribbling, and she blinked at Levi through the rectangular lenses of her corrective goggles. "What is it, Levi?"

Instead of answering her, the captain looked up at their fifteen meter companion. "Eren, that's enough for today. Shift back now."

"But we aren't finished," Hange protested, waving her arms animatedly. "I still have to conduct the reflex testing and—"

"We're cutting it short today," interrupted Levi. He started to breathe more heavily, and he wiped sweat from his brow. "Eren, now."

The young shifter obediently hunkered down, and steam erupted from the nape of his titan form as he severed the link to the giant body and emerged from it.

"Hange, go get him," Levi ordered. He walked over to a nearby mossy log and he sat down on it, rubbing his temples.

Hange didn't immediately obey. Instead, she walked over to Levi, and she bent over to regard him with concern. "Are you okay, grump?"

Levi looked up at her. No, he wasn't okay. He was going into heat again. While his face was blank of expression, the frustration in his eyes must have been apparent to Hange. Her mouth fell open, and she mouthed a silent inquiry to him.

_"Now? Seriously?"_

Levi swallowed and nodded, at a loss to explain it. At this rate, he wondered if he was going to end up in heat every fucking day for the rest of his miserable life. The thought that perhaps he should just dive straight into a titan's mouth on the next expedition to end his suffering briefly crossed his mind.

Hange didn't waste another second. She set her journal and writing pen down, and she hurried over to Eren to help him extract from the nape of his titan form. The boy tumbled out rather easily, and Hange helped him down and supported him until he gave her the nod that he was okay to stand on his own. She went to fetch their horses, and Eren snatched up the canteen she'd given him to have a few thirsty pulls at it. His green eyes latched onto his captain when he noticed how flushed and sweaty Levi was getting.

"Sir, are you all right?" Eren brought the water container over to him, offering it solicitously. "You look a little overheated. Do you want a drink?"

Levi reached out blindly for the water canteen, trying his best not to start wheezing. It was coming upon him fast. He needed to get the hell out of there and behind closed doors. He needed to cool off. He started to take a drink, but he changed his mind and up-ended the container directly over his own head.

"C-Captain?"

Eren's confused, worried inquiry was half drowned out by the ringing in Levi's ears. He took a few deep, calming breaths, but there just didn't seem to be enough oxygen. He started seeing spots.

"It's fine," Levi panted, unsure of what he was even saying. "Mount up, Jaeger. We're going back to...to..."

The next thing Levi knew, he was toppling backwards off of his seat. The canopy and sun above him spun crazily, and through hazy vision, he saw Hange and Eren both running toward him.

"Levi! Oh shit!"

Hange's worried shout was the last thing he heard before he blacked out completely.

* * *

-To be continued

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hange: "So, let's consummate it! Whoohoo!"
> 
> Levi: "As long as I get to do the fucking, this time."
> 
> Hange: "...O_O...okay. Sure!"
> 
> Levi: "Hey, how does this thing work?"
> 
> Hange: "Keep playing with it to find out."
> 
> Eren: "Captain? You look all flushed and sexy and sweaty."
> 
> Levi: *CRASH*
> 
> Hange: "OH SHIT, NOT AGAIN!"


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos to my beta reader friend for giving me the idea of "Little Boop" as Hange's new pet name for Levi. :-)

He awoke slowly, and Levi could hear Hange's voice discussing him softly. He opened his eyes with a soft groan, and his lover's form came into focus. Hange was speaking with the doctor. Levi squirmed uncomfortably, his heat urging him into need that he couldn't satisfy right away.

"Hange?"

The scientist halted her discussion, and she hurried to Levi's bedside. She stroked his hair with a sigh, obviously relieved.

"There you are, grump. You scared the living hell out of me. How are you feeling?"

"Confused as hell," he confessed. His voice cracked on the last syllable, and he looked at the doctor standing behind his lover. "What's going on?"

"You've had what we refer to as a chronic heat cycle," obliged the man gently. "I've administered an emergency suppressant shot, Captain, but I'm afraid it may not be enough on its to bring your condition back under control. Not right away, at least. It's generic medication, intended for emergencies like this. Fortunately you have no allergy history to any suppressants, so I was able to administer it. I can see it hasn't done much to ease your discomfort."

"No kidding." The dry rebuttal didn't have quite the flair Levi was aiming for. His ass was aching for cock, and it was difficult to keep his concentration. "Sorry doc, but I think I need some private time with my companion."

"I understand." The doctor clutched his clipboard close, and he started for the door. "I'll be sure to put in the order that you mustn't be disturbed for an hour or so, Captain Levi."

Levi nodded. "I appreciate that. If anyone busts in on us, they're gonna get an eyeful and I can't be blamed for that."

Hange chuckled. She waited for the doctor to close the door before she began unbuttoning her shirt. "You poor baby. Don't worry: Mama Hange's going to take care of everything."

"Don't say it that way," groused Levi, feeling his pulse rapidly quickening as the crazed scientist revealed her tanned skin little by little. "Sounds fucking creepy."

"Beggars can't be choosers, sweetheart." Hange smiled, and she crawled onto the bed to straddle him. "Goodness, you're so hard and wet. I could fetch my strap on if you—"

"Don't bother with it," Levi interrupted, starting to pant. "Just give it to me, Hange. Fuck me blind."

Her eyes widened, and an amazed look spread over her handsome features. "You know Levi, you're a little adorable when you're so desperate."

"Whatever. Just do me."

* * *

As it turned out, Hange's suppressants kept her from elongating for him, this time. She grimaced with disappointed embarrassment at him, and she kissed him on the nose. "I'm sorry, Levi. Sometimes it happens and sometimes it doesn't. Can you handle waiting for a little while, grump? We can do one of two things; either keep trying to coax my lady boner out, or I can hurry back to headquarters and get my strap-on from my quarters. I'll inform the doctor to give us more time."

Levi really didn't want to be stuck there waiting, but if Hange couldn't swell to full length, he was going to be left unsatisfied anyway. He reached down between the press of their bodies to rub at her clit, figuring he could at least try to wake it back up. She made a husky sound of delight and she rocked into the touch, but the little nub remained in repose, more or less. The glans peeked out as Levi fondled it, but it didn't swell to full size and come back out.

"Yeah, go and get the dildo," Levi sighed at last, frustrated. "I'd rather you fuck me with what nature gave you, but I'm not going to be able to wait all day for it."

"I'm sorry," Hange murmured again. "What you're doing feels really good, but the suppressants I'm taking are doing a complete job of keeping me out of rut, right now. This is actually kind of fucking humiliating."

Levi smirked at her. "Performance issues, huh? I can't hold it against you. It's not your fault. Hey, are you even in the mood to do me right now? You could give me a pill or something to knock me out until this heat goes away."

"Oh no, that isn't it," she assured him. She tweaked a lock of his hair. "I've got no problem getting in the mood with you, Levi. I just can't get it up, right now."

He watched her with veiled suspicion, and he stroked his fingertip against the folds of her labia. Feeling the moisture there, he felt a little more confident. "As long as you want it. I'm trying not to be a selfish bastard."

"You aren't being selfish." Hange kissed the corners of his mouth, and she eased off of him. "You're in heat, and that's not something you can help. I love taking care of your needs and I can promise you I'll still be able to get off."

He nodded. He almost considered fucking her instead, but what his body craved right now could not be sated that way.

"I'll be back as soon as I can," Hange promised. "Just hang in there for a little while, handsome."

Levi rubbed against the sheets impulsively, his cock aching and his ass begging to be filled again. "I can wait," he assured her, though it was easier said than done.

* * *

Levi tossed and turned in the hospital bed, sucking in sharp breathes in his effort to calm his raging libido. It seemed like Hange had been gone for hours, when in reality she'd only left ten minutes before. The door to his hospital room opened and Levi sat up hopefully, surprised but eager for Hange's return. Instead of his girlfriend, his commander stepped into the room. Levi paled as Erwin's cool blue gaze met his. A sick feeling pooled in the omega's stomach as he watched Erwin inhale slowly, testing the air.

"I got word of your collapse a short while ago," explained Erwin softly. He closed the door behind him, clasped his hands behind his back and stared Levi down. "I've been wondering, but the notion seemed so ridiculous at first that I told myself I was only imagining things. Now I have my confirmation."

Levi's jaw clenched. "That fucking doctor—"

"The doctor told me nothing," interrupted Erwin. "They honored doctor-patient privilege. I had to resort to threats of arrest just to get in here to see you, Captain."

Levi closed his eyes, and he fell back on the bed with a groan. "So now you know," he panted. "Guess this means I'm going to be discharged from service, right?"

Erwin remained where he was, keeping his distance. At first, Levi wondered if he intended to simply confirm his ejection from the scouts and leave. Then he saw the alpha male's nostrils flare, saw his crotch beginning to poke out and realized the truth of it.

_~Shit. He's reacting to my scent. He's keeping his distance for my own good.~_

"I'm not in a rush to discharge the finest titan slayer we've ever had in our ranks," Erwin said carefully, "regardless of his biological traits. The only real issue with your being an omega is moments like this one, Levi. It isn't simply about gender or type; it's about distraction. Obviously, I can't have you sharing the same barracks as alphas. We are more than likely going to have more than myself, Mike and Hange in the ranks eventually. Next month will mark the beginning of type testing for the recruits from the 104th, and I think we can safely say that at least one of those young people are going to test positive as alphas. I can control myself and so can Mike, but youth combined with alpha hormones..."

Erwin trailed off with a sigh, his thick brows furrowing. "I would rather not have an incident, you understand."

"Meaning when any alpha brat comes of age sexually, you're afraid they might try to jump me," reasoned Levi.

Erwin nodded. "Yes. They may not be able to resist the heat scent." He smirked a bit. "To be frank, I'm more worried about you cutting someone in half for attempting anything with you than I am for your safety. I haven't any doubts concerning your ability to defend yourself."

That was at least of some small comfort to Levi. "Yeah, I can't promise they'd survive it if anyone loses their shit and tries to put hands on me."

Erwin sniffed the air again, taking a couple of steps closer. He frowned in concentration.

"What?" demanded Levi, feeling a subtle disquiet. Maybe Erwin wasn't as stoic as he liked to pretend, and Levi was currently in no condition to fight off someone so much bigger than him if the commander acted on his natural urges. Thoughts of getting knocked up by Erwin Smith shot through Levi's head, and he swallowed. "Oi, you're creeping me out."

Erwin stopped his advance, schooling his handsome features into a calm mask. "I apologize. I've just noticed you've been scent marked. It smells like...Hange?"

Levi relaxed slightly, and he gave a confirming nod. "You're not wrong. We just decided to be exclusive yesterday. She's my alpha, now."

Erwin's brows shot up. "You and Hange? I...knew that the two of you have been spending a lot of time together, but I had no idea she was to your taste. Pardon me for saying so, but I've been under the impression that you prefer males."

Levi shrugged. "In a way, if only for their cocks. Trust me though, she's not lacking anything I'd be getting if she were a guy."

"I...see." Erwin blinked slowly, absorbing this. "Well, then. At least I needn't be concerned over the possibility of an unplanned pregnancy."

Levi resisted a grimace. Hange had told him that she'd once had plans to start a family with her ex. She'd never get that chance with him. "Not while we're together, anyhow. So what's going to happen now, chief? You said you don't want to boot me out, but you're worried about me sleeping on the same floor as alphas."

"I've been considering that issue since I realized my suspicions might be correct," Erwin sighed. He combed his fingers through his golden hair, and he took a seat in the chair at the corner of the room, maintaining a safe distance between the two of them. "We can arrange for something that will keep you further separated from the other soldiers at night. This situation is going to have to be reported to the brass, however, and I can't guarantee they'll share my opinion that you're too valuable to discharge from service."

A muscle in Levi's jaw jumped, and he pulled the covers up further, quite aware that he was stark nude beneath them. He couldn't do a damned thing about his obnoxious boner or the flush that had returned to his cheeks. He could only be grateful that he was still coherent enough to discuss the matter with Erwin.

"I like my sleeping quarters as they are," Levi gritted out, "and my door does lock. What the hell am I supposed to do, sleep in the attic or down in the dungeon with Eren?"

"I really don't know," admitted the commander, "but I will promise you this: I'm on your side, and I will do everything I can to ensure you remain in the scouts where you belong, Levi. I know Hange already has your back, and I'm sure Mike will stand up for you as well."

Levi was grateful for that, at least. He already knew Hange would stick up for him. He hadn't really expected Erwin to do it though, but the man still had some surprises up his sleeve. He should have known better than to try and predict how the commander would react to learning he was an omega. Nothing Smith ever did was ever predictable.

The door opened again, and Hange came walking in without knocking. She didn't immediately see Erwin, and she pulled her strap-on out of the bag and waved it at Levi. "Sorry to keep you waiting, darling! I rushed to get back here so that I could—oh, shit! E-Erwin!"

She hastily put the dildo behind her back, staring at the commander with wide eyes. "Okay, I know what this must look like, Commander, and—"

"It's okay," Levi interrupted, his mouth twitching slightly. "He knows everything, Hange."

She looked between the tall blond and her small, black-haired omega. "When you say ' _everything_ '...?"

"He knows I'm an omega," clarified Levi. "He knows you're my alpha. He smelled your scent marking right away."

Hange carefully replaced her sex toy in the bag she carried, and she looked at Erwin warily. "Smith, if you kick him out of Survey Corps I swear to the walls I'll—"

"You can relax," Erwin interjected, holding one hand up to stall whatever threat she'd been prepared to issue. "My intention is to do everything in my power to keep Captain Levi in the scouts and secure his rank. If he's to be discharged over this, it won't be by my hand. I intend to remind the brass of Levi's accomplishments and stress the point that no soldier in our ranks has a higher kill count. Unfortunately, it's probably going to be taken to military court. I'm afraid that's inevitable."

Hange grimaced, and she walked over to Levi's bed to set the bag of goodies on it. She sank down on the mattress, and she reached out to stroke Levi's hair. He shivered in response to her touch, his breath quickening.

"Damn it," muttered Hange. "Is there any way to avoid having him put on trial like some kind of criminal?"

"I understand your frustration," said Erwin, "but Levi has violated military protocol by covering up the truth of his type for so long. As such, he is going to face some consequences. I can't change that, but with luck, we can help ensure he doesn't lose his rank or be forcibly ejected."

"Hey, I'd love to sit here debating how the fuck we're going to handle this," panted Levi, "but right now, my mind's only on one thing. No offence sir, but you need to give Hange and me some time alone."

Erwin flushed a bit, glancing between the couple uncomfortably. "Ah, of course. We can discuss this in greater depth when you've recovered from your heat. One last question, though. Were you in heat during the mission briefing as well?"

"Yeah." Levi gritted his teeth. "I don't know what the hell's going on with me lately, but my cycles are hitting at completely random times."

Erwin frowned. "Levi, that isn't good. You know that I have a world of respect for you, but if you've been going into unpredictable heats, that compromises your ability to perform your duties. What if this happens during an expedition?"

"Do you think I haven't considered that?" snapped Levi. He wiped his sweating forehead, fighting for air. Why wasn't the man leaving? "Think I enjoy being so goddamned horny I can't think straight, all the time?" At least he hadn't gone into a full mating swoon yet. Small blessing.

"It's going to be okay," soothed Hange. "We'll get Levi back on his prescription for suppressants, and we'll bring it under control. In the meantime, I have to take care of him the old fashioned way, so shoo, Erwin!"

"Pardon me," said the commander graciously. He stood up, and he nodded at the two of them. "I'll leave now, and I will locate Mike and discuss this matter with him. Hange, report it to me when Levi's condition eases. I think for the sake of his career as well as his health, he should go back on those suppressants as soon as possible."

"Fine, fine," Levi growled. "Now get the hell out or I'll just fuck Hange right in front of you."

The threat was enough to convince Erwin to leave with greater haste, and the minute he was out the door, Levi grabbed Hange with aggressive passion.

* * *

The nightmare finally ended the next morning. Levi was sore and exhausted, but sated. Hange brought him a fresh set of clothing, and she watched him with some guilt as he gingerly pulled his pants up.

"How sore is your butt, cutie?" asked the alpha as he winced while fastening his pants.

"I probably won't be able to sit directly on it for a day or two," he answered, shrugging. "Not even going to try riding my horse."

Hange sighed, and she went to him to slip her arms around his waist for a hug. "I didn't mean to get so vigorous with you. Something about your heats just trigger my libido and sometimes mini ruts too, despite my suppressants."

"Heh. If those are 'mini ruts', you'd probably kill me in a full one."

"I'd wreck your sweet little ass," she assured him. She pulled back to look into his eyes. "Want some pain medication?"

"Maybe a couple of aspirin." Levi picked up the white button up shirt she'd brought with the outfit, and he slid it on. "First thing's first, though. The suppressants. I've still got the prescription bottle in my trunk, but I think the pills in it are probably expired."

"I'll have it refilled for you," she promised. "For now, I think you just need to rest up as soon as you get back to headquarters. We'll arrange a carriage so you can lie down and stay off your tushy."

"You don't have to baby me." Levi grunted a little as he straightened up his shirt and buttoned it up. "I'm not some fragile little butterfly."

"Of course you aren't, but your my man." Hange shrugged, grinning at him. "What's wrong with pampering you a little after I fucked you unconscious?"

"I wasn't unconscious," he objected.

"You were completely blacked out," Hange insisted. "Only for a minute, but I confirmed it before splashing some water on your face."

He grimaced. "All right, shitty glasses. So you screwed me stupid. Congratulations."

"Oh, I'm not bragging," she corrected gently. "You actually scared the shit out of me when you passed out. I thought I might have to run out and alert the medical staff, and that would have been awkward as hell."

"No kidding." He wrapped his cravat around his throat and tied it, hiding the little bruises left by Hange's sucking, licking and biting. "We're lucky nobody came and interrupted us."

"That's because I made sure to let them know we weren't to be disturbed until I said otherwise," explained Hange. "I'd have kicked some ass if anyone had walked in on us while I was seeing to your needs."

"Thank fuck for small miracles," sighed Levi. "I'm glad you had the sense to do that, because I don't think I'd have even noticed if anyone came in."

Quietly proud of her ability to satisfy her little love so well, Hange smirked. By now, she knew every sensitive spot on his body. He loved having his nipples teased and sucked on, for example. Omegas were extremely sensitive to the touch in that area and Levi was no exception. At one point between mating sessions, she'd made him come just by stimulating them. She stared at that area, and when they started to visibly pull taut and poke out beneath Levi's shirt, she gave him a knowing grin.

"Still feeling frisky, dear?"

Levi averted his gaze, folding his arms over his chest self-consciously. "I don't have enough energy left in me to feel frisky. Quit staring like that."

She slid her hands down his back to squeeze his ass. "I'll do more than stare at them, sweetheart. You're going to have a very pleasant ride home."

* * *

Levi had thought Hange was just kidding around, but she demonstrated that she'd meant what she said once they got in the carriage and started heading for the keep. He was lying on his side across from her, and once the carriage started moving, Hange switched seats and shut the curtains. She coaxed him to rest his head in her lap, and with a shrug, Levi did it. The next thing he knew, her mischievous fingers started rubbing his nipples in circular motions through the shirt. Levi's breath caught, and he rolled onto his back to stare up at her.

"Oi, don't get me stirred up," he warned, swallowing. "I'm too sore for any more fucking, shitty glasses."

"Who said anything about fucking?" She smiled down at him, and she kept fondling the sensitive buds. "I'm just trying to make you feel good, grump."

His eyes lost focus as his nipples became erect again in response to the tingling pleasure. His cock hardened in his pants, and he grabbed her wrists. His stomach tightened as she kept going, ignoring his weak attempts to halt her playing.

"Shit," Levi gasped, brows pinching. He kept holding her wrists, but he didn't tug at them. He didn't really want her to stop, and she evidently knew it. "What are you trying to do, make me have another heat?"

Hange left off rubbing the left nipple, and she unbuttoned his shirt to expose his chest. "I'm sure nipple rubbing won't make you go into heat, Levi. Just relax and enjoy it. Mmm, you're getting wet down there, too." She eyed his crotch, staring fixedly at the spot of moisture forming on the material. She flicked open the button of his pants and she eased the zipper down. He groaned softly as she gently squeezed one nipple, then the other. Her other hand slid into his pants to ease his arousal out of them, and she languidly began to stroke his length.

Levi gave up trying to ward her busy hands off. Common sense deserted him, and he arched his back helplessly. Hange steadily pleasured him, watching the flush stealing over his cheeks as her ministrations made his body sing with delight. He let go of her wrist to grab at the cushion beneath him, eyes fluttering shut with surrender. He didn't need to tell her he was getting close. She knew all of the signs and she mercilessly kept going. Levi shuddered, his hips jerking to thrust himself wantonly into her gripping hand. Her strokes sped up, and she spoke husky encouragement to him.

"That's it, handsome. Just ride it out."

"Fuck," rasped Levi. How many orgasms did she intend to give him, anyway? He was going to be completely useless for days, at this rate. He tensed, and he cried her name in a low, breathy call. Liquid heat pooled in his pelvis, in his belly, and he bucked in her hand. Grunting and swearing, he blew his load all over Hange's hand and forearm. He didn't even grimace at the mess he'd made. He was stunned senseless by the powerful climax, and he wondered how she'd made him come again so easily after his heat had worn him out.

Hange kissed him again, cooing softly to him with satisfaction. "You are so damned cute when you come, tiny captain."

"Is that...why you like to get me in a state...all the time?" he gasped, opening his eyes again to look up at her. He hadn't even been able to _try_ to resist her intimate playing, and it occurred to him that her scent marking him might have something to do with that. Perhaps it was the pheromones in the scent, stupifying him and sapping his will power.

"Partly," admitted Hange. "Mostly I just love touching you and making those sounds come out of you. It makes me feel good to please my omega. I'm no different from any other alpha, that way."

"Hmm." Levi's eyes drifted shut again as Hange pulled his handkerchief out of his pocket to wipe him off. She stroked his hair as she cleaned the spunk off of his goods and her hand, and she balled up the handkerchief when she finished, dropping it onto her satchel. "I'm gonna have to return the favor when I get my energy back."

"I have no doubt you will," Hange said with a chuckle. "For now though, just rest a little while. If you want to go to sleep, I'll wake you when we get to headquarters."

* * *

Levi stayed scarce for the first three days after being released from the hospital. He stayed mostly in his quarters, and when he was feeling up for it, he went on a ride through the countryside. When he was confident that he was no longer giving off any heat scent, he got back to business as usual. There was no point in worrying about the court date coming up and what would be decided about him as a result. He trained, he assisted Hange with Eren's testing, he cleaned. He started taking suppressants again, and though they seemed to be succeeding at keeping him from going into another heat, they also had the predicted and hated effect on him of dropping his libido to nothing and making him lethargic. As such, he didn't have any further encounters with Hange while she was available, save a few kisses here and there and her sneaking into his quarters a couple of nights to sleep beside him in his bed.

Hange had to leave after a week to resume research with her captured titan subjects, but she promised Levi that she would be there for his court date to support him, and then she would return to the keep for a while again to prepare for the next expedition.

"I just hope you'll be in this one," Hange sighed as she and Levi stood outside the keep gates near her horse. "You and your team are key defenders when we're out there. I have no doubt there will be more casualties than usual, without your speedy little butt cutting down titans that get too close."

"Hey, if the worst happens and I can't be there, you'll still have Mike and the rest of my team," reminded Levi. "They can hold their own, and I'll give my squad section specific instructions before they go."

"I know." Hange took his hands and squeezed them, seeing as there was nobody immediately around to see the gesture of affection. "It would just be so strange to go on one without you, after all this time. I think everyone would be feeling out of sorts and morale would be low."

"Then remind them all of why the hell they joined the scouts," he persisted. Levi shook his head. "Nobody came into this regiment just because of me. If they can't cut it without me in their ranks, they're in the wrong career."

Hange smiled. "Good point. Let's just hope it doesn't come to that."

She glanced around to be sure nobody had wandered close, and then she rubbed her wrists over his face and clothes to freshen her scent marking on him. She finished up with a soft kiss to the lips, cupped his face in her hands and stared him in the eye. "I'm not going to let them take your rank or your uniform from you. If they try, I'll find a way to fix it."

Levi sighed. The woman thought she could move mountains. "Hange, you can't make that promise. I violated clear-cut laws by altering my records and passing as a beta. You know they aren't going to be likely to let me keep leading special operations, and if they let me stay in the scouts at all, they'll be assigning me some non-combat role like supply wagon driver or some kind of deskwork."

He scowled at the thought. Levi hated paperwork, and he didn't think he would _want_ to stay if the rest of his career was going to be spent in an office filling out reports and budgets. Erwin was more cut out for that shit.

"But you could still be in the Legion," Hange pointed out. "True, not actively fighting the titans, but maybe you could be a training instructor for new recruits. You can teach them skills that will help them live a little longer."

Levi compressed his lips, and Hange sighed, shaking her head. "No, that wouldn't be ideal for you. I can see that."

"You might just have to prepare yourself for my departure," he said softly. "If I can't do what I do best, I wouldn't see the point in sticking around. I'd make a suck-ass instructor, too. I don't have the patience for it."

Hange bit her lip. "Let's not think about that right now," she decided. She kissed him again, and then she mounted up while Levi held her horse's reins steady. She took the reins from him, and she gave him one last, determined look.

"I won't give up on you, Levi."

He nodded. "I know." He patted her horse on the rump. "Have a safe trip, shitty glasses. Try not to eat too much road dust."

Hange turned her mount away and she took off, leaving her omega staring after her with that deceptively bored expression on his face.

* * *

The court date approached roughly a week later. Hange hadn't shown up yet when Levi prepared to ride out with his team, Erwin, Nanaba and Mike. Even now, he kept Eren close to him. The boy and his friends wouldn't be permitted to attend the court proceedings. They would instead have to wait in the lobby or outside, and should Levi's position in the scouts get removed, Eren might end up immediately taken into custody by the MP's. That was the other major issue to all of this. Nobody else was likely to be assigned as Eren's guardian, if Levi was no longer in the position to do it. The kid could end up getting dissected, after all.

All the way to the capital, Levi wondered where in the hell Hange Zoë was. Had she flaked out and forgotten the date? Was she lying injured in an infirmary because she got too close to one of her pet titans and lost a limb for it? Had she managed to get herself devoured completely? Levi thought that if the latter two were the case, they'd have gotten word by now. He clenched his jaw and paid attention to the road, telling himself not to jump to conclusions.

They made it to the courthouse after traveling from before sunrise to noon. They dismounted in the street, and Levi handed his horse's reins over to Eren to see to the animal. He spoke to the boy softly and intently, looking into Jaeger's vivid green eyes.

"Shitty brat," Levi said, "stick close to your friends. If you see Eld come out before me, get scarce."

Eren looked confused. "Captain?"

"Eld is your sign that they're taking me into custody while the discharge paperwork is getting written up. What do you think will happen to you, if I'm no longer allowed to do my duty concerning you?"

Eren paled. "Sir...do you really think it will come to that? You haven't even told us why we're here!"

"It might," answered Levi grimly, "so do as I say and keep your eyes peeled. Don't even go into the building. Stick near the horses and don't look back if you get my signal. Everything will be explained later."

Eren nodded convulsively, and he looked up at Erwin as the commander dismounted and wiped his hands of. Erwin met his eyes, and he gave Eren a subtle, confirming nod that left little doubt he and Levi had already discussed this and agreed Eren should flee if necessary. Eren saluted them both, and he took his and Levi's horses away, following his friends.

Levi watched him go for a minute, and then he sighed as he stepped into place between Erwin and Mike. "Let's do this shit."

* * *

Darius Zackly was acting as judge of the court, unsurprisingly. The Supreme Commander had already taken his seat, and all attending members of the jury turned to look as Levi, Erwin and Mike strode in. Levi's squad came in a moment later, taking seats in the section for the scouts. Zackly banged his gavel for silence, and he began to read from a document he held before him.

"Let the record show that today will be the trial of Captain Levi of the Survey Corps Special Operations section. The situation is unique; in fact, I've never heard of such a case existing before. Captain, please take your place on the defendant podium so that we may begin."

Levi dutifully stepped up to the podium folding his arms over his chest in a bored manner. At least he wasn't chained up to a pole like Eren had been when they'd tried the shifter's case. Erwin and Mike sat down to the right in the defending witness section.

"Now then, it seems that it has been recently discovered that you are an omega type, Captain," Zackly went on, "and you've somehow been managing to pass as a beta. I'm very curious to hear how you accomplished this for so long, and how you falsified your medical records to reflect a false type."

"I'm originally from the Underground, sir," answered Levi with a shrug. "I still have a few connections."

"I see." Darius adjusted his glasses, and he flipped through some other documents. "What about your heats? How did you mask them so completely around your alpha comrades?"

Levi tensed slightly, finding the question too personal and invasive. There was nothing for it, though. This line of questioning was doubtless being asked so that the military could alter the criteria for recruits and try to ensure more omegas didn't sneak into combat ranks in the future.

"My heats used to be pretty regular," Levi explained. "I kept track of them on the calendar, and I'd take suppressants a couple of days before a scheduled heat was due. I'd stop taking them four days to a week later, depending on how strong the warning signs were."

"But your heats are no longer regular, and you're no longer on suppressants?"

Levi took a slow breath. "Yes to the first part. I've started taking the suppressants again after the last incident that got me hospitalized."

"And are they working? Some omegas find suppressants ineffective, while others suffer side effects that keep it from even being an option for them."

"I know all that, sir. I've only ever had mild problems with them; nothing that ever seriously compromised my abilities. As far as I can tell, the suppressants are working fine."

"Have you been examined by a doctor to determine what caused your heats to become so irregular, Captain?"

Levi nodded. "Yes. The only conclusion so far is that it's probably a reproductive life phase, and they ought to level back out eventually."

"But there is no guarantee of that," guessed the Supreme Commander.

With some regret, Levi shook his head. "No. No guarantee. If I go off the suppressants again, it could start back up without warning."

"Your Honor, I have concerns about this," Nile Dok said, standing up. "Not only did Captain Levi knowingly lie about being an omega, but he violated laws in the process. Omegas should not be in the field of battle for the simple reason that they can become a liability if they go into heat. Captain Levi is no exception! He shouldn't be in his position, not only for his own good, but for the good of his comrades!"

Levi scowled at the man, glaring at him. He couldn't stand the bastard as it was, and he sorely wanted to feed Nile his boot—right up his ass. Before he could part his lips to spew off a few choice vulgarities at him, Erwin stood up and spoke.

"Sir, may I remind you of Captain Levi's record? During his time as a scout, not once has he faltered. He has always done his duty to humanity with precision and skill, and he has destroyed more of our enemies solo than any other soldier in the history of the Survey Corps. I believe the Captain's accomplishments should be taken into serious consideration, before a decision is reached by this court."

"Believe me, Commander Smith, I _am_ taking it into consideration. That's the reason we're conducting this trial, rather than immediately discharging him and penalizing him for his deception. As I said: this is a unique case."

"We can't make sudden exceptions on a whim," suggested the brunet MP female next to Dok. "No matter how exceptional the individual might be, there is a reason for the restriction codes in military service. If an omega goes into heat at the wrong moment it could spell disaster for everyone involved. Not to mention, there are some concerns with how this could effect the alphas in the same regiment."

"Oh, don't hand me that bullshit," Levi snapped with disgust, finally losing his temper. "If the alphas in _your_ branch can't keep from losing their shit, it's on them. I haven't had any problems with the alphas in mine."

"Let me just ask you something," Zackly said to Levi. "Are you mated, Captain Levi?"

The doors leading into the tribunal hall opened as Levi tried to think up an answer to that question. His first instinct was to tell the man that it wasn't his or anyone else in this courtroom's business whether he was pair-bonded or not. Before he could react to his umbrage over the question, however, he sensed a familiar presence coming up behind him with a tromp of booted feet. He scented her before he turned around to see her, and Hange's bold exclamation made Levi reel a bit.

"Yes, he is!"

Everyone's heads turned to see the road weary, rather dirty scientist striding in wearing her full scout combat uniform and gear. Her assistant Moblit was with her, holding a folder of some kind of documents. Without hesitation, Hange walked the distance of those cold, courtroom floors, unbuckled her gear with practiced fingers and let it drop to the floor with a clang that caused more than a few people to give a start.

"He's mated to _me_ ," stated Hange. She saluted the supreme commander with respect. "And as such, I'm turning my gear in now, along with my papers of resignation as head of the titan research team. Moblit?"

He jumped a little, practically sweating balls as he offered the folder to her outstretched hand. Hange took it from him, and she approached the bench to give it to Zackly. "I'm sure you'll find everything is in order. All it needs is your signature to finalize it, sir."

Zackly ordered silence again as confused murmurs arose, and he looked through the documents with a frown. His lined face was frankly puzzled as he looked back at Hange again. "You would throw your entire career away, Squad Commander?"

Hange backed up slowly to stand beside Levi, and she gave a solemn nod of her shaggy, reddish-brown head. "If Captain Levi goes, I do to."

"Oi, shit-goggles," Levi whispered to her, "what in the fuck are you doing?"

"Standing by you, of course," was her muttered answer.

"She can't just…defect!" shouted Commander Dok in outrage.

"Actually, she can," corrected Erwin calmly. "Hange joined before the 'stop loss' clause was put in place to criminalize militia drop-outs. As such, she does have every legal right to resign of her own volition."

The room went silent, and Erwin used the moment to his advantage. "Is it worth it to lose not only humanity's strongest soldier, but our greatest titan expert as well as our greatest hope? I'm sure Eren Jaeger's status is tied up in this as well."

Zackly scratched his chin with a frown. "So it is."

"Then I have a proposal," Erwin said.

Levi groaned. "Oh, shit."

Erwin ignored his expressed dread, and when Zackly nodded, he spoke his idea. "Allow Captain Levi to continue serving humanity as he has been. I'm sure that Commander Zoë would agree to retract her resignation in return?" He looked at Hang questioningly, and she nodded once.

"There is no need to deprive Survey Corps of either of them," Erwin went on. "Captain Levi can continue his duties serving as leader of Special Operations, and Eren Jaeger's guardian. Squad Commander Hange can resume her duties as head researcher. I believe we can facilitate that with a compromise, sir."

Zackly nodded, and he banged his gavel when a few people in the Military Police protested. Nobody in the Brigade Garrison had said anything yet. "Go on, Commander Smith. Explain."

"Thank you, sir. I propose that Captain Levi remain on his suppressants for the duration of his service, whether that ends with his death or retirement. This should prevent any incidents from occurring due to unforeseen heats. He's already proven himself more than capable, and he is a valuable asset to our cause."

"True, but there still remains the chance of the suppressants either failing completely or compromising him," reminded Darius.

"Allow me to address that," Hange said, taking a little step forward. She gestured at Levi with a grubby hand. It looked like she had dried blood spotting it, in fact. "If suppressants aren't enough, as his mate I can address Levi's needs. As I'm sure you know, I'm an alpha female, sir. I can't impregnate him and I can't conceive, myself. There's been no recorded case in history of that happening, so neither of us will ever need maternity rest from duty, as long as we're together as a mated pair."

"And yet even still, you cannot guarantee that his unpredictable heat won't occur when you aren't around to see to it." Zackly sighed. "This is a lot to ask. I hope you all know that."

"Then allow us to prove it to you," Erwin suggested. "Should it compromise our goals enough, Captain Levi will be removed from his position and discharged. Please consider giving it the benefit of the doubt however, sir. This is all I request."

Zackly went quiet, turning over the information. After a moment, he looked around at the assembly. "We will have a twenty minute recess while I discuss the matter with my advisory council. Everyone please make note of the time, and be back promptly."

* * *

Eren was on pins and needles, watching the entrance to the court building from his position near the horses with his friends. The captain hadn't specified exactly _where_ they were supposed to flee to, if it should come to that. Eren could only assume he didn't mean for them to go back to the keep; the MP's would know to look for them there.

"This situation is so screwed," sighed Connie. "Eren, why didn't Captain Levi talk to you about this before we got here?"

"I don't know," answered the shifter helplessly. "Maybe he just came up with the idea when we got here."

But that didn't make sense to him. If it was a spur of the moment plan, why would Erwin seem to know about it, and when did Levi get the chance to instruct Eld to signal if things went downhill? Did the man just have some sort of telepathic connection with Erwin and his team, or did Eren just miss something along the way? They'd seen Hange show up with Moblit and go charging up the stairs into the building, looking like she was on a mission.

"Anything could be happening in there right now," Sasha surmised, inadvertently echoing Eren's thoughts. "I wonder what Commander Hange said or did when she got in there? I hope she doesn't get herself arrested, on top of everything else!"

"Surely Hange has some sort of plan to avoid that," mused Armin, his blue eyes looking toward the building entrance thoughtfully. "I know she has her seemingly crazed moments, but she really is brilliant."

Eren sighed, and the moments ticked by as they waited and worried and debated over what was really going on in that courtroom. Finally, after more than an hour of waiting, the big, gilded doors began to open. Mikasa crowded closer to Eren, and she took on a fierce expression as she murmured to him.

"Be ready, Eren. In fact, I think we should mount up now."

"Screw mounting up," muttered Jean. "We'll use our ODM gear to make a break for it if we get the signal. We stand a better chance of outdistancing pursuit that way."

"True, but then we'll be without our horses, and thus any supplies," whispered Armin. "Our gas will run out eventually and then we'll have to avoid the MP's on foot. I don't think we should resort to using our gear unless absolutely necessary."

Connie patted Eren's arm. "Hey, we may not have to worry about it! Look!"

Eren looked as his friend pointed, and he sighed with relieve to see Levi's familiar form coming out of the building. Erwin and Hange were flanking him, and by the huge grin splitting the latter's face, there must have been a good outcome.

"Wow, he really is small," Eren said, more to himself than to anyone else. It was so easy to forget how short Levi actually was until he was standing next to Erwin, but then again, the blond man towered over nearly everyone except Mike in the Legion. Even though Eren was always looking down at Levi himself, somehow it felt more like he was looking _up_ , instead.

The other scout officers filed out behind the group, with Mike falling into step with Erwin and Nanaba coming up on his other side.

"Let's go, guys," Sasha said eagerly, taking a step towards their commanding officers.

"No, Erwin just gestured for us to stay here," Armin said when the commander spotted them and held up a hand.

Eren nodded, hoping they weren't mistaking the outcome. He saw Eld, but the blond man was walking behind the Levi and the others with the rest of Team Levi. He didn't make any visible warning motions to Eren. He was chatting softly with Gunther Schultz. Eren turned to fetch Levi's horse, and Armin did the same for Erwin's.

"Sirs," greeted Eren eagerly once the group met up with them in the street. He and his fellow junior scouts saluted them respectfully. "What is the situation, please?"

"We're going back to headquarters," answered Levi, taking the reins to his horse from Eren. "We'll explain on the way. I just want to get the fuck out of this pig refuge."

* * *

They only took two small travel breaks to water their horses and rest them. During the first break, Levi explained to his curious subordinates what was really going on. "You're wondering why we were summoned to the capital," he said, running a gloved hand smoothly along his black stallion's powerful neck. "It's because I'm an omega."

Everyone went silent. Jean was the first to speak up. "Bullshit."

Levi narrowed his eyes on the sandy-blond young man. "You think I'm lying, Kirstein?"

"No sir," Jean answered immediately, saluting him. "I'm just wondering who set you up."

Levi shook his head, and he smirked slightly. "Nobody 'set me up'. It's the truth. I'm an omega and the brass found out I've been hiding it for all this time. That's why I was summoned to trial; to decide whether I should be permitted to remain in the scouts as captain, or be discharged and fined for violating laws concerning what roles omegas are allowed to take in the military."

"So you're really an omega?" Sasha was staring at the captain with disbelief.

"Pay attention," snapped Levi. "Yes, I'm really an omega. They've decided to let me resume my duties despite that, with a bit of negotiating. That means Eren is still safe from the MP's, for now. We'll keep going as we have been, and our goals for the reclaiming of titan infested territory and Wall Maria are still in place."

"What if you go into heat again while we're out on one of the expeditions leading up to this, sir?" Mikasa asked bluntly.

"Mikasa," whispered Eren, embarrassed.

"It's a legitimate question," she shot back softly. She looked at Levi, her dark eyes calm and assessing on him. "Sir?"

"That's not likely to happen while I'm on suppressants," answered Levi. "I've been taking them since I was released from the hospital, and there hasn't been another incident."

"And if there are any symptoms that suggest the suppressants aren't doing a good enough job," Hange added, "we'll adjust his prescription accordingly. He also has me to take care of his needs in that instance."

Levi groaned inwardly as eyebrows went up in the kids' ranks, but they were bound to find out about him and Hange sooner or later, so he just went with it. "Yeah. Four eyes here can give it to me good and proper if I need her to. I guess we're a mated pair now."

"Whoa," sputtered Connie, looking between the two of them with wide eyes.

"Quit looking so traumatized," Levi demanded. "Adults have needs, like it or not. How do you think all you brats got here, anyway? Think the stork brought you?"

Erwin cleared his throat, and the flash of amusement in his blue eyes was the only thing that gave away his reaction to Levi's candid explanation and the kids' reaction to hearing it. "That's enough. The matter is settled, and the captain and squad commander's personal relationship is not up for debate or gossip. You will all follow orders from your superiors as normal, understood?"

Nobody was going to argue with the commander.

* * *

-To be continued

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> End note recap:
> 
> Levi: "Fuck, did I just have a 'rape face'?"
> 
> Hange: "It's okay. You wouldn't have done it. I'll take care of you."
> 
> Hange: "...shit, I can't get it up."
> 
> Levi: "Then take Viagra or something."
> 
> Hange: "Hold on, I'll go get my toy!"
> 
> Erwin: "So, Levi, you're an omega. I thought so."
> 
> Hange (waving a dildo): "Levi, I'm back! I brought...oh. Shit."
> 
> Levi: "Erwin, leave or you're getting free porn."
> 
> Erwin: "Later!"
> 
> The Brass: "Captain Levi, you know you're supposed to be a weak little submissive breeder! How dare you break that rule!"
> 
> Levi: "Up yours."
> 
> Hange: (Dramatic Entrance): "You can't discharge my little boop without losing me too. We're mated."
> 
> Levi: "Yeah, we...wait...we are? When the fuck did this happen?"
> 
> Eren: "My hero is an omega! Cool!"


	6. Chapter 6

"So, mated, huh?" Levi and Hange were having a brandy together in the privacy of her quarters, winding down after returning to the keep and getting cleaned up.

She turned her head to look at the omega seated beside her on her bed, and she shrugged. "You couldn't feel it? We sealed that bond when we agreed to be exclusive and mated again."

Levi stared at her. "We agreed to try it out and see where it would take us. We didn't say we were going to mate for life, shitty-glasses."

He couldn't deny something had changed between them, though. Ever since, he'd felt more sensitive to her presence. He could smell her earthy scent from further away, and his body reacted so easily to her touch, even when he wasn't in heat. The latter wasn't the case right now, though. His suppressants still had his libido tanking and he knew he'd have been much feistier in court if it weren't for the sedating effect they had on his aggression.

"Did you do this on purpose?" Levi asked, eyeing her suspiciously. "Was it your scent marking that sealed this bond, or what?"

"No, I swear I didn't plan it," Hange assured. She looked a bit pained as she met his gaze. "I only realized it myself as I was closing in on the courthouse, and I could feel your frustration and anxiety like it was my own. I knew my omega was in trouble. Moblit had to grab me and remind me that I needed to calm my aggression to a manageable level before going in and presenting my ultimatum to the tribunal. I was ready to start tearing heads off, Levi."

He looked her up and down, remembering the dried blood he'd spotted. They hadn't bathed together and they were both in robes, so he hadn't had the chance to examine her for injuries. "You hurt?" he grunted, struggling with his feelings on the matter.

He resented the situation, more than her. It happened before he could decide how to feel about it. He hadn't been given a choice. He believed her when she said she didn't deliberately make that choice for them, though. She could have forced a bond with him at any time by now, while he was helpless in a mating swoon and unable to consent. She hadn't. This just…happened. Oddly enough, behind that resentment was a strange feeling of contentedness. If he had to be mated to anyone, he'd rather it be his shitty glasses.

"Me? No, why?" Hange glanced down at herself as if reassuring she was telling the truth. "Just a little bruised here and there."

"You had dried blood on your hand and sleeve, earlier." Levi nodded at her left hand. "So what was that about?"

"Oh, that." She shrugged. "That was from one of my assistants. They broke a vial in the lab and cut themselves, so I saw to it before we left. Sorry I didn't arrive in time to ride with you. I realized I was better off making straight for the capital, because you guys would have been gone already by the time Moblit and I arrived at the keep."

"At least you showed up." Levi had another sip of his drink, and he grimaced at the bite. He looked straight ahead at the far wall as he spoke again. "You could have lost everything you've worked so hard for with that stunt you pulled, idiot."

Hange nodded calmly, and she took a larger swallow of the liquor in her hand. "Yes, I could have."

Levi regarded her again. "Then why take such a risk?"

She met his gaze. "Honestly, that was supposed to be Plan B. Plan A was to present medical facts and push the idea that being an omega isn't by default a deliberating state of being. I was going to ensure them that your suppressants work, you can function on them and there's no reasonable need to take you out of the scouts. I wasn't going to offer my own resignation unless the first plan didn't convince them. That all changed when we made it there and I sensed how you were feeling."

Hange sighed, and she looked into her drink glass. "You know Levi, as dedicated as I am to my research and as much as I love doing it, I realized in that moment that I wouldn't have really minded giving that up. You're…well, you're more important to me, now."

He cocked his head, narrowing his eyes slightly in thought. "What about your ex? You were willing to give this all up for me, but not for her? I thought you had plans for a family with her, until you joined the scouts."

"I did." Hange smirked a little ruefully, and she reached out to gently boop the tip of his nose with a fingertip. "I must not have loved her as much as I thought. Not the way I love you, grump."

Stunned, the captain's eyes widened. He looked away in confusion. Hange was always saying she loved him, but that had been in a platonically, affectionate way. Not so, this time. He felt like an idiot for never picking up on the deeper truth of those little "I love you's" before she blatantly came out and said it.

But that's what mated pairs were supposed to do, right? Love each other. He just didn't know if he was capable of sharing those same feelings of love. Loyalty, certainly. Affection? All right. But to be _in_ love with someone was different. Was he in love with her, too? He looked at her again, quietly scanning her from head to toe. Always disheveled, even after bathing. Always dirty when he didn't push her to clean up. Levi couldn't complain about her inappropriateness, her split-moment decisions, her passion. He was much the same as her in that regard. To him, Hange was like some wild thing that somehow got blessed with a genius level of intelligence to balance out her often reckless and crazed actions.

He had learned to find beauty in her as he got to know her, though. She had pretty eyes, even with the glasses nearly always framing them. She had nice hair when she bothered to wash and brush it. Good teeth, a handsome, somewhat sharp nose, and handsome facial features to go along with it. She had nice lips too…nice skin. Her body might not be what one could consider conventionally attractive by female standards. Her husky voice often sounded more masculine than feminine. Levi himself liked the way she was put together. He didn't really see a gender or type when he looked at her; he just knew he enjoyed doing it. He'd only recently begun to admit that to himself, and now here she was, offering up the career she was so passionate about on a plate because she was in love with him.

"Have I spooked you, tiny captain?" Hange whispered at last, when he kept staring at her.

"Nobody's ever done anything like this for me before," Levi whispered at last, trying to come to terms with it. "My friends Isabel and Farlan were ready to die at my side, but nobody's ever been willing to throw away their livelihood just because I might lose mine."

"That's called 'love'," Hange pointed out gently, "in both cases. Isabel and Farlan loved you enough to follow you into the scouts, and I love you enough to do what I did today. You already know I'm willing to die at your side, too. I've been willing to do that almost since the beginning."

He lowered his gaze. "How long have you felt like this?"

"I'm not sure," she admitted. "Certainly longer than even I realized. I've just decided this is the right time to tell you frankly."

He took a deep breath, and he tried to cope with the feelings of warmth and appreciation stirring within him. "I probably don't deserve that kind of love, Hange."

She clucked her tongue, looked dismayed. "Nonsense! Hey, look at me, you morose little shit."

She cupped Levi's face in her hands. "I know you've had one shitter of a life. You've told me about how you grew up, what you went through, and how you tried to keep your friends alive. You _do_ deserve this kind of love. Life is short—even shorter for scouts—and you have to embrace every good moment you can. If you weren't worth it, I wouldn't love you. That's a fact."

He stared at her. He should say it back. It wouldn't be a lie, if he did. Levi was, however, terribly guarded in the love department. He'd lost everyone he ever dared to love. His mother, Isabel, Farlan…if he told Hange he loved her, he felt like he'd be giving her the black mark of death.

Hange didn't say anything about his lack of verbal reciprocation. Instead, she leaned in for a kiss. Levi closed his eyes and he kissed her back. It started out tender, but then Hange's tongue slipped into his mouth and she cupped the back of his head to keep him from pulling away. Levi's pulse quickened a bit, but there wasn't so much as a flutter of lust. His suppressants were still killing his passion. He calculated how many days he'd been taking them again, and he realized that the impotency should have worn off, by now. That frustrated him. He and Hange had just shared a revelation, and if they were now pair-bonded, they should probably take this moment to seal it with sexual intimacy.

"I'm sorry," he muttered when she pulled away and looked at him searchingly. "Nothing's happening."

Levi sighed and he looked down at his crotch accusingly. "The fucking thing's as limp as a wet noodle. It's not you, all right? The suppressants are still fucking with my sex drive."

She nodded in understanding. "It's okay, Levi. We don't have to have sex."

He closed his eyes and groaned. "I should be getting back to normal by now. The impotency doesn't usually last for this long."

"There's nothing to be embarrassed about," Hange assured him, patting his knee. "Maybe it's because you went for so long without them, and you're body is just taking longer to adjust and get back on track. I wouldn't worry about it."

"Tch. Do you remember how you felt when you couldn't get your clit up to fuck me with it when I was in heat? You had to go get your strap-on."

Hange grimaced. "Well yes, but to be fair, my clit doesn't swell to full size every time, and I can still get off when it doesn't. I just felt bad because you needed to be filled and I couldn't satisfy that need without my toy."

"Well guess what," he snapped, "I feel bad because you obviously want some and I'm not feeling a thing."

Hange chuckled. "Like I said: we don't _need_ to have sex, Levi. We can just hold each other and kiss, like we've been doing since you started taking the suppressants. I'm not completely ruled by my libido, and I can wait."

He met her gaze with a frown. "And what if this doesn't fade? What if these changes that have happened to me mean that I'll never have a drive as long as I'm on the suppressants? Damn it, I'll have the choice of being horny and in heat all the time or never wanting sex at all. I just want a normal fucking sex life…and that's your fault, by the way. I never cared about having a sex life until you came along."

She stroked his hair soothingly, and she smiled at him. "Why Levi, I believe you just told me you love me, in your own crude way."

He shrugged and looked away, pinching his lips.

Hange cupped his chin and urged him to look at her again. "I'll tell you what, Levi; if it's still like this in a week, we'll make some adjustments to your suppressant prescription. You're probably due for a change in it anyway. You've been using the same ones since omega puberty, right?"

He nodded.

"Well then," she went on, "since your cycles have altered, it stands to reason that your suppressants need to reflect that. We can work on getting it leveled out so that the suppressants do what they're supposed to do, without this little negative side effect."

Feeling hopeful, Levi nodded. "That would be a relief, if you think you can handle it." He looked her up and down, and he sighed. Freshly bathed with clean, brushed hair, if there was any time he should be ready to jump Hange, this was it. An idea came to him, and he started unbuttoning the casual gray shirt he'd donned.

Hange raised a brow, and she tugged her glasses down to peer over the top of them at him. "What are you doing, cutie?"

"Getting undressed," he answered calmly. "What's it look like?"

"I can see that." Arousal sparkled in her cinnamon gaze. She reached for her brandy and had a sip. "Why, though? Have you decided you want to change into something else? You might want to go to your quarters to do that, Levi. I don't think you have any fresh clothes in here."

"I'm not changing clothes," he explained, dropping his voice to a seductive tone. He finished unbuttoning his shirt and he pulled it open. He then started unbuttoning his black trousers. "I'm just getting undressed."

"Okay…" Her eyes followed the deft motions of his hands, and she openly admired his body as more of it was revealed to her. "The question of _why_ you're undressing is still up in the air, grump."

"Just because I can't get it up doesn't mean you can't do me," he explained. "You can use your strap-on if your lady dick won't come out to play. At least _one_ of us should get off, right?"

Hange reached out to grab his wrist, stopping him just as he was about to tug his pants open. "Levi, wait. You aren't even going to produce any slick, if you don't feel any arousal! You aren't going to lube up or dilate."

He nodded at her nightstand. "You've got lubricant. We can use that. I don't mind."

"Levi," breathed Hange. She sounded more dismayed than appreciative. "That isn't fair to you."

He shrugged, and he tried to keep undressing. "Sure it is. I get the satisfaction of getting you off."

Hange sighed, stopping him again with a shake of her head. "Do you remember asking me what I got out of relieving your heats? How you thought I was only doing it as a favor and getting no sexual satisfaction out of it myself?"

He paused, and he nodded. "Yeah."

"How did it make you feel when you thought you were the only one getting off on it?" she pressed.

Levi sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "Like shit."

Hange raised her brows expectantly, saying nothing. He caught on, and he grumbled. "Right, I get it."

Hange cupped his face and kissed him softly on the lips. "Levi, I think it's incredibly sweet that you're offering yourself to me like this, even though you aren't in the mood. That's the kind of devotion a mate should have; but the _other_ mate should be considerate enough not to take up the offer…no matter how turned on they might be. I'm not going to fuck you when you can't get anything out of it except some discomfort, okay?"

He shrugged and nodded. "I guess that's fair. I didn't think of it that way. I just know you've been putting it off for my sake, and I've felt your cock pressing against me at night when we sleep together, so I know you want it."

"Clit," she corrected with an exasperated sigh. "How many times do I have to—"

Seeing his little smirk, she poked him. "You little shit. You've been calling it a 'dick' and a 'cock' on purpose, just to pick on me."

"Guilty." Levi's expression fell into a blank mask. "It always gets a rise out of you."

"Oh, I wish you were ticklish," Hange growled playfully. "I would have no mercy on you right now, if you were."

Levi tilted his head and narrowed his eyes on her, stricken by another idea when she said the word: "ticklish".

"What?" Hange blinked. " _Now_ what did I say?"

"I just got an idea," he murmured thoughtfully.

"Oh? Did it hurt?" she teased.

"Shut the fuck up." Levi grabbed her by the shoulders, and he pushed her down backwards onto the bed. He covered her body with his own and he started kissing her neck.

"L-Levi, I thought you weren't in the mood!" Hange gasped as his thigh wedged between hers, rubbing against her crotch. "Sweetheart, you're going to get me too worked up and I already said that I'm not going to fuck you when you can't get off on it."

"Who says we have to fuck?" Levi murmured between kisses. He slipped a hand down to start working her slacks open. "I think I can still get you off without giving my ass to you. So let me."

"W-what are you…you…oh…"

Hange's breath caught as Levi deftly burrowed his hand into her pants and under her panties. His fingers sought out her loins, and he started rubbing her clit. It started to stiffen and swell immediately under his touch, and he kissed his way down her body. Fortunately, she was bare-footed at the moment, so there were no shoes or socks to get in his way. Levi stopped his playing to grab the waist of her pants and tug them down.

"Pull your legs out of 'em, shitty glasses," he demanded.

Hange did as he instructed, and then she made a startled sound when he yanked her panties down next, once the pants fell to the floor. Levi didn't give her the chance to question him further. He acted on his decision before he could lose his nerve, pushing her thighs apart to expose her. Seeing the glans of her clit emerging slowly from the hood, he pressed his thumbs against the folds of her labia to spread it. He licked at her exposed clit gingerly at first, unschooled in cunnilingus. When Hange shivered and made an exclamation of delight, he gained more confidence.

"Levi," Hange breathed. "Oh, that's good."

He inhaled her scent as he licked and kissed the spot, trying different things to see what felt best. When her clit was halfway out, he slipped his lips over it and he gave it a gentle suck. Hange lifted up on her elbows and spread her thighs further, moaning.

Seeing that she evidently liked it, Levi started moving his mouth up and down the growing length. As he did that, he stroked a finger between the folds beneath the growing protrusion, finding her entrance. It was slippery, naturally lubing up. Levi eased a finger in as he kept sucking and licking, provoking more shudders and gasps from his mate. It wasn't much different from giving a blowjob, when Hange was erect like this. Levi pumped his finger inside of her slowly, and he paused in his sucking to blow against the sensitive glans, following up by swirling his tongue around it.

He was operating on sheer instinct, having no real idea of what in the hell he was doing. Evidently it was enough. Hange cried out when he pushed a second finger into her and curled both digits inside of her.

"Levi! Right there…oh god, right there!"

"He paused in his oral pleasuring to look at her questioningly. "Here?" He pressed against the smooth spot inside of her again, and she groaned and nodded. "Sweet spot, huh?"

"Fuck, yes," she agreed.

He paid special attention to the spot as he resumed his play with his mouth, and Hange was soon writhing and arching on the bedding. Maybe he couldn't get off, but he could appreciate the satisfaction he was getting from Hange's expressed pleasure. He was doing this to her, _he_ was making her quake and call his name like that. If he didn't know what he was missing, he thought he could just be happy giving this to her each night. For now, it would just have to do until his hormones leveled out or he got a version of suppressants that wouldn't cripple his sexuality.

Hange cried out one last time, her fingers curling into his hair. She threw her head back and panted, her thighs shaking. Levi felt her clenching around his fingers and he smirked, having no doubt that he'd just made her come hard.

"Oh my," panted Hange after catching her breath. Her clit shrank and retreated, and she shuddered as Levi gave it a final, gentle lick before it hid itself back in the hood. "You, my little whirlwind, are a gift from the heavens."

Levi retracted his fingers from inside of her, and he stretched out on top of her to kiss her. "Don't be so dramatic," he murmured against her lips. "I just did what I could to make you feel good."

"And you did very, very well," she assured him with a broad grin. "My toes curled."

"Yeah?" He found himself smirking again, and he laid his head on her chest with a sigh. "I know it's not exactly the same, but it's good to know I can still make you come."

Hange rubbed his back, and she kissed the crown of his head. "We'll figure it out, Levi. That's a promise."

* * *

Erwin called Levi, Hange, Nanaba and Mike into his office the next morning. As they seated themselves on the couch, he put away the documents he'd been working on and he regarded them somberly. "Let me preface this with the statement that this was not my decision."

The four of them glanced at each other, and Nanaba was the first to speak what was on all their minds. "Preface _what_ exactly, sir?"

Her short-trimmed blond hair was still damp from her morning bath, and she seemed to have instinctively chosen to sit next to Mike immediately. It was fairly obvious that she had a thing for him, but the big blond alpha male was as much a closed book as Erwin and Levi. It was anyone's guess whether he reciprocated her interest.

Erwin sighed, and he tapped his quill against the surface of his desk. "The next scheduled expedition has been postponed by a month."

Everyone looked at Levi, and Hange made a growling sound that surprised even her. "The first person that even _tries_ to lay the blame on our captain is getting thrown across the room."

"Easy, you trigger-happy idiot," Levi advised his mate coolly. He looked at Erwin. "I get the feeling this isn't just about me and my recent trial."

"You would be correct." Erwin nodded. "Although, it does involve you in a manner of speaking."

"So what's going on?" Levi asked. "Stop beating around the bush."

"Type testing," obliged the commander. "They've put off the expedition until every recent young recruit to the scout ranks has been tested and identified as a type. They are all of age to be categorized. The brass wants to know how many alphas and omegas we may have coming of age before they approve their participation in this next expedition."

Hange sighed, and she tapped a booted foot against the floor. "Erwin, are you saying that we may stand to lose more able bodies if any of them turns out to be omega?"

"They made an exception for Levi because of his record and his skills," said the commander calmly. "Unless the next omega turns out to be as exceptional as he is—which is unlikely—the order is to assign them to non-combat roles or discharge them entirely. I'm sorry."

"We may not have any that test positive for the omega type at all," Nanaba pointed out. "They're rare. We'd be more likely to find new alphas in our ranks."

"Don't make assumptions," cautioned Hange. "Skill and strength can be deceptive. We could lose one or more of our most promising young ones."

Erwin nodded in agreement. "Yes. Captain Levi is the perfect example of Hange's observation. We can't just presume that any omega isn't capable of being a strong soldier. With that in mind, there's no way to guess which of our recruits could test positive as one."

"And if any of them do?" Levi asked. He leaned unconsciously against Hange, instinctively drawn to his mate without even realizing it.

"That remains to be seen. As I said before, unless they have exceptional skills or potential, they'll likely be reassigned or ejected. There's nothing that I can do about that. I just wanted you all to know that our expedition is put off for a further month. This will give us the chance to reorganize, and as you know, alphas may require additional training due to enhanced senses and strength."

Levi huffed and looked away. "Right. You're all so superior."

"Levi, I'm not bragging," said Erwin sternly. "I'm simply stating the biological norm. I have no say in the dictates of nature."

Hange patted Levi on the shoulder. "Don't blame Erwin, my special little grump."

"When you say it like that it's pretty fucking insulting," grumbled Levi.

"Wasn't meant to be." Hange smiled. "You _are_ special. The fact that you're still here and still captain of your own elite squad is proof enough of that."

"Enough debating," said Erwin sternly. "I've informed you all first, as top officers in this regiment. Each of you will be responsible for guidance counseling, whatever comes of this. Hange, I would like for you to be the one who runs the tests. These kids trust you, and I think they'll feel more comfortable if you are the one running them. Do you have any objections?"

Hange shook her head and adjusted her glasses. "Of course not. I'll get it done as quickly as possible, Commander."

* * *

It took a full day for Hange to complete the testing on all of the youngest scouts and confirm the results. After documenting each result and reporting in to Erwin, she called Levi into her laboratory—which also functioned as her office—so that she could explain the results to him.

Levi took a seat, and he watched with an odd feeling of anticipation as she thumbed through the files on her desk. Her eyes scanned over each one briefly, and then she set them down and removed her glasses for a moment. Closing her eyes, she rubbed at the inner corners of them with a thumb and forefinger.

"Well, the test results are in," she said in a tired voice. "We now have the 'types' of each squad member from the 104th. I had to give the results to Erwin immediately, but I wanted you to be the first to know after him."

Levi nodded, sitting up a little straighter in his seat. His expression was bland and unreadable, but inside he felt tension coiling up. "So spill it. What have we got?"

Hange dropped her hand back down, and she replaced her oval glasses on her face. She threaded her fingers together beneath her chin, propping her elbows on the desk. "They're all betas except for three."

Levi absorbed this quickly. "Let me guess: Ackerman's one of the three."

Hange nodded. "She's an alpha. So is Jean Kirstein."

Neither revelation particularly surprised him, but Hange's omission of a third alpha gave him a creeping feeling. "The third is an omega?"

"Yes. The third is an omega." She sighed, and she lowered her gaze in thought.

"So who is it?" he demanded. His thoughts immediately went to one particularly small, gentle spirited girl. "Krista?"

Hange shook her head, meeting his gaze with blatant sympathy.

Levi shook his head slowly. "No. Don't fucking tell me. It's not Eren."

Hange closed her eyes again, her hawkish features softening with regret. "I'm afraid so, dear."

Levi stood up from the chair abruptly, rage and frustration sweeping through him in a fierce wave. He kicked the chair across the room, and it skittered and toppled with a crash against one of Hange's chemistry tables. Hange also got up, and she went to her suddenly incensed lover immediately. Most people would not dare touch Levi during one of his sudden and rare fits of anger. It always threw them off guard with its abruptness, and even Erwin Smith kept a wide berth of the small, deadly captain when he got in a mood like this. Hange, however, was another matter.

"Levi," she said in that soothing tone she used when he got worked up. She laid her hands on his tense shoulders as he stood still, his fists clenched, his head bowed, and his breath heaving in his effort to compose himself. She rubbed his shoulders, and she spoke into his ear. "We're going to help him, okay? He won't have to go through this alone."

"How the hell am I supposed to do my job with that shitty brat if he's an omega, on top of everything else?" Levi asked her, neither lifting his head nor moving a muscle. "How is he supposed to do his assigned part in our goals?"

"The brass is meeting with the government council to debate what's to be done," Hange murmured. "All scout officers are going to be summoned to attend, including the two of us. Just remember this, Levi: Eren isn't the typical omega. He's a shifter, too. He may not even have the common omega biological makeup because of his titan abilities. Like you, he brings something to the table that nobody else can, and that's going to be taken into consideration."

Levi tried to take some comfort in that. He'd been put on a trial himself when an ill-timed heat cycle struck him during an expedition and he and Hange couldn't hide his condition soon enough to keep it hidden. Now he was compelled by law to remain on suppressants while in military service as a result of that hearing, a condition of being allowed to keep his rank and stay with the scouts. He still hadn't regained his libido, and his frustration over that made this news even more difficult to bear.

Now Eren was going to face the same kind of trial. As if the kid hadn't already been through enough trials already. The questions he would have to answer were going to be quite personal and humiliating. Eren didn't have Levi's ability to remain detached or spout witty insults. He'd probably lose his shit and start screaming at them, and then Levi would be forced to kick the shit out of him again to shut him up and remind him and the court of who was in charge.

"You're overthinking this," Hange told him. She began to massage his shoulders. "Levi, it's going to be okay. Eren is too valuable to the scouts and to humanity for them to have him discharged. They'll probably do the same with him as they did with you and order regular use of suppressants."

"Or they might decide that being an omega makes him even more of a possible liability," Levi pointed out. "They're going to want assurance that his hormones aren't going to drive him to turn on us at some point."

"And if he's on suppressants, that won't be an issue," she reasoned with a shrug. "He just needs the right prescription."

Levi turned around to face her, and his drawn brows were the only thing in his expression to give away how troubled he was. "The thing is, suppressants don't always block heat completely. You know that. He's still going to have symptoms from time to time like I do. Well, like I _used_ to. He could just end up limp-dicked like me."

"But they'll be manageable, if he still has symptoms" Hange pointed out. "They won't handicap him anymore than a common menstrual cycle handicaps the females in our ranks. He'll still be able to fight, he'll still be able to do his duties and he'll still be able to train. Like I said before: you and I can help him. I doubt he'll suffer the same side-effects that you are. Most omegas experience nausea, dizziness or accelerated pulse rates. Even so, we'll help him."

"How?" Levi frowned at her, and a horrifying thought sprang to mind. "Not the way _you_ help _me_ , right?"

Hange chuckled, and she pinched his chin and gave him a little kiss. "Don't be silly, tiny captain. I'm not talking about molesting the boy. I just mean I can give him some of the spritz to mask his omega scent, and you can advise him. Put in a little extra time training him. Teach him more self-defense moves. You know how to handle alphas better than most, after all."

Levi shrugged. "I know how to handle _you_ , at least."

She nuzzled his cheek. "Yes you do. You can handle the others, too. Remember the time when you had a mini heat and Mike got too sniffy with you? You pulled that move out of the blue and tossed him right into the table. I mean, that boy _flew_ , Levi. I'm not even sure Erwin could have launched the big guy like that."

"Heh. That was a good day." Levi found himself smirking at the memory of how shocked Mike had been, and how Hange had hooted and laughed like a maniac upon witnessing it. "The idiot needs to keep his nose to himself."

"I'm sure you've given him fair incentive to do just that." Hange smirked. "Anyway, I'm going to need to start doing bloodwork and testing out different suppressant formulas on Eren, to find one that suits him best."

"And what if he turns out to be one of those poor bastards that can't take them at all because the side effects are too damaging?"

Hange bit her lip. "We'll just have to cross that bridge when we come to it. In the meantime, however…"

She took Levi's hands in hers, and she sobered. "I would like to work on adjusting your prescription too."

"Tch. What happened to 'I don't need sex'?" He sounded bitterer than intended.

"Levi, I _can_ live without intercourse, if that's what it comes to," Hange assured him. She squeezed his hands, and she bowed her head to give him a swift kiss. "That doesn't mean we have to simply accept it's the way things have to be, does it? I know you want a normal sex life. I know how frustrated you are, and we've given your body fair time to adjust. Nothing's changed yet, has it?"

He sighed. "No. I'm still as limp as a wet noodle and I…" he took a deep breath, flushing. "I miss it. I miss fucking. I miss coming with you. A year ago I might have welcomed this issue and brushed it off as one less distraction to worry about, but now…shit, Hange."

She pinched his chin fondly, and she smiled a little wistfully at him. "That's possibly one of the sweetest things you've ever said to me, grump. I suppose it's safe enough for me to admit that I miss it, too. I miss making you moan and seeing your face when you come. Do you have any idea how beautiful you are when you're coming, Levi?"

His flush deepened, and he looked away with a shrug. "No. I don't hold a mirror up to look at myself when it happens."

Hange laughed. "Well, perhaps when we get you balanced out again, we should do it in front of a mirror to celebrate. I'll bet you'd be surprised by the expression on your face when you climax."

"I'm not going to stare at myself in the mirror while I'm fucking," scoffed Levi. "I'm not that vane."

"You don't think it would be fun and sexy to watch ourselves doing it?" Hange winked at him. "You wouldn't want to see me going inside of you, or vice-versa?"

Even with his libido compromised, Levi had to appreciate that idea. As perverted as it sounded, his imagination caught fire and he _almost_ thought he felt the faintest little tingle in his groin. It went away quickly though, and he wondered if it was just wishful thinking. He sighed.

"First we need to see about getting my junk working again, and then we can discuss trying new kinks."

Hange perked up. "Sweetheart, I am going to do whatever it takes to make that happen. Maybe we can arrange a weekend away and you can stop taking the suppressants during that time, if all else fails."

Levi gazed at her levelly. "Just when do you think our schedule is going to allow for a weekend getaway, Hange? We have an expedition to plan for, your research keeps you busy all the time and I have to watch Jaeger like a hawk, now more than ever."

Hange pouted a little, and she sighed. "You are the world's worst party pooper, Levi."

* * *

None of the young scouts from the 104th were immediately told about their test results. Unbeknownst to Eren and company, their superiors were caught up in paperwork and discussions with the brass, as well as adjusting training methods for those who did not fall under the beta category. Unaware of the politics and plans brewing in the background concerning him and his friends, Eren continued with his training as usual, both as a soldier and as a shifter. He noticed Hange and Levi watching him differently when he trained or ran tests. At first he thought it was just his imagination, but then Hange started doing something that had him utterly confused.

The titan expert began to sniff him in greeting and parting, much like Mike Zacharius tended to do with people.

After one such interaction one day when meeting up with Hange and the captain in the field outside the keep, Eren raised his arm and sniffed his own armpit, wondering if he stank. He watched his adult companions with puzzled green eyes as Hange walked over to Levi, whispered something to him and shook her head.

"Um, Captain? Commander? Do I smell funny or something?" Eren finally asked.

They both looked at him, and then they glanced sidelong at each other in a way that appeared they were silently communicating. It was a bit creepy, and Eren started feeling like a bug under a magnifying lens. Hange smiled brightly at him, and that made him even more ill at ease.

"Oh no, Eren. You smell like a teenaged boy. I've just been curious about whether your scent might start to change, since you've been shifting so much. Don't mind me."

Eren thought it seemed like a logical explanation. Hange was an alpha after all, and their sense of smell, hearing, sight and taste was known to be superior to betas or omegas. Sometimes he envied that, but other times he thought it would really suck to smell things like shit or vomit so acutely.

"Okay. Should I transform now?" he said with a shrug.

"Yes, go right ahead." Hange nodded, and she produced her scratch pad. "Today we'll be focusing on your hand-to-eye coordination while in titan form, Eren. I know it's getting old, but it's very important that you become perfectly attuned to your other form. You need to know it as well as you know your human body, just as Levi keeps saying."

Eren sighed. Again? It felt like all they'd been doing lately were these hand-eye coordination exercises. He was ready for something more challenging. A warning look from his captain reminded him that protest was not an option, nor was failure to perform as directed. The young man nodded, and he raised his hand to his mouth to bite down on the meaty part of it while his two companions stepped back to give him room.

* * *

"We have to tell him," Levi stated out the corner of his mouth as he and Hange watched Eren begin his coordination exercises.

Hange took her attention half off of Eren to respond to Levi, leaning closer and down to speak into the captain's ear. "I would love to, grumpy, but you and I both know we're under a gag order until told otherwise. Eren and the other atypical cadets will be informed when we've got the green flag to do it."

"I know that," Levi gritted. His eyes went to Eren's huge titan form. The shifter was currently attempting to juggle boulder-sized rocks; which would have been comical to watch if the circumstances weren't so serious. "He's not like the other two atypicals, though. It could happen at any fucking time, Hange. What if he has a heat before he gets the chance to even get on generic suppressants? One of the alphas in his group is obviously in love with him—"

"Mikasa would never force herself on him," Hange said with certainty.

Levi kept going. "—and the other one is constantly at odds with him. Think of what could happen if Kirstein catches a whiff of omega pheromones coming from Eren and loses his shit. Those two are always butting heads for dominance. I've seen alphas driven to stupidity before, shitty glasses. These are kids. They aren't going to know how to handle alpha or omega drives without some kind of fucking guidance, at the very least."

Hange grimaced, and she looked down at the ground. "I know," she whispered.

"So are you in agreement that we should at least tell Eren to be on his guard?" pressed Levi. "Or do I have to take the matter into my own hands and go behind everyone's back?"

Hange bit her lip, and she looked at the shifter in question. "I'll stand by whatever you decide to do, Levi. You know I will. There may be a middle ground, though."

"Yeah?" Levi crossed his arms over his chest. "What's the middle ground? Enlighten me."

"We watch him," she answered. "You and I. We keep an extra close eye on him and we intervene if he shows any signs of going into a heat or attracting unwanted attention. That way he's protected, and we aren't breaking protocol."

Levi tilted his head thoughtfully. "I guess that could work. You're being strangely clingy to the rules lately though."

Hange looked at him directly, and she didn't smile. "That's because if I fuck up and brush off those rules, my mate could be the one to pay for it. Eren too, for that matter. We have to show the brass that we can play by their rules and handle things. If we can't do that, they might re-think their decision regarding you, and the deep shit we bailed Eren out of could come back up and swallow him whole."

Levi compressed his lips, his jaw visibly tightening. Other than that and the flash in his gray eyes, he kept his frustration masked. Hange could see through it though; now more than ever. They were a mated pair, and she could sense his feelings, just as he could sense hers. She ached for him. She could detect the underlying fear beneath his anger. Levi might not ever admit it to anyone—not even to her—but he cared for that impulsive, brash titan shifter. He genuinely cared about what happened to him, even though the life Eren had to face might eventually lead to Levi having to kill him.

"I know how you feel about it," Hange said softly to the captain, doing her best to convey her sympathy both through their spiritual link and through her words. "I understand, Levi. I really do. It pisses me off too. I agree with you that these kids should know what they are right away. We're in a tough spot, though. We have to make due with what we have, so please, use that brilliant, tactical brain of yours and don't act on impulse."

Levi sighed, and he looked down with a nod. He scrubbed his fingers through his hair, gripping the longer part on the top of his undercut almost as if ready to tear it out. His fingers relaxed, and his eyes reflected the afternoon sunlight as he looked up at Eren again.

"Fine. Can't believe you're being the rational one and I'm being the impulsive idiot."

Hange smiled, and she risked a pat to his shoulder. "Sometimes roles can switch, even if only briefly. Don't worry, short stuff; I'm sure I'll do something crazy and alarming soon enough. You'll be yelling in my face reminding me to screw my head back on straight."

"We can only hope," Levi muttered.

* * *

Erwin was understandably startled that evening when he was interrupted in his preparations to leave the keep and return to the capital. Levi shoved his office door open and he strode in purposefully, his steely gaze locking with the blond's.

"Levi, I hope that you have a good excuse for this rude entry."

Erwin finished tucking his reports into his knapsack before standing up to regard the omega. He could feel the intensity practically vibrating from Levi in waves as the captain came to a stop before his desk, held his left hand out palm-up, and spoke flatly to him.

"I do. I'll need you to relinquish your copy of the key to Eren's basement cell before you leave, sir."

Erwin's heavy brows forked. "I beg your pardon?"

"Keys," repeated Levi succinctly. "I want your copy of them. From now on, the only one with access to Eren's holding cell will be me. I vowed to be his guardian…and his executioner, if necessary. If you really do respect that position while he's still in our custody, then you won't argue."

Erwin frowned, and he began to reach into his jacket. "I'm sure you have a good reason for making such a demand. Care to explain to me what that is, rather than barge into your superior's office with expectations he can only guess at?"

Levi hesitated briefly, and he favored Erwin with a respectful salute. "I suck at apologies, so I'm just going to tell you straight. I don't want _any_ alpha having access to that holding cell, Erwin. Not even you. I'm behaving myself and following the rules, but if that kid has his first heat under my watch, it's my responsibility to ensure nobody can take advantage. It's nothing personal."

"And you think I would do such a thing?" Erwin raised a brow.

"Like I said, it's nothing personal," reiterated Levi flatly. "I know you have better self-control than most. I also know it's not easy for alphas to exercise that sort of control when they're around an omega in heat…particularly un-mated omegas. Consider it a precautionary insurance policy. I don't want to have to kill you, Erwin."

"Kill me?" repeated Erwin, his eyes widening slightly. He drew out his key ring and he absently fished through it as he stared up at the captain. "Would you really do such a thing, Levi?"

The omega nodded stiffly. "If I have to, just like I'll kill Eren if I have to. You know my convictions, Erwin. You know I don't bullshit."

"Yes, I know you don't bullshit." Erwin smirked, and he located the key to Eren's cell. He removed it from the ring and he placed it into Levi's outstretched palm. "For the record, I knew I made the right decision in supporting you when you offered yourself up as Eren's guardian. I don't doubt for a moment that you would cut down anyone that attempts to lay an improper hand on him while he's in your care."

Levi seemed to relax as he took the iron key and put it into a pocket. "He's my responsibility. I might have to cut the little bastard's head off some day, but until then…"

Levi's brows pinched slightly, and he looked at the alpha. "You do understand, don't you? This wasn't out of disrespect."

"I understand." Erwin nodded, and his vivid blue eyes warmed up. "You've always been so diligent about the welfare of your soldiers. It honestly comes as no surprise to me that you would come to me this way concerning Jaeger. I take no offence. You do realize, however, that your…that _our_ …custody of the boy could come to a crashing halt soon, though?"

"No kidding." Levi patted his pocket where he'd placed Erwin's copy of the key. "Until that happens though, I'm sticking to my vow. As long as he doesn't turn on us, the brat's under my protection."

"And I could think of no better guardian," murmured Erwin thoughtfully. "Will there be anything else, Levi?"

"No. That was my business with you tonight."

Levi squared his shoulders, and he gave Erwin another brief salute. "I'll take my leave now, if I'm dismissed. Thanks for the cooperation."

"Yes, you are dismissed." Erwin briefly covered his lips with two fingers to control a smile, and he watched as the most formidable soldier he had turned and went for the door. "Levi?"

The captain paused, turned and looked at him. "Yes?"

"For what it's worth, I personally think you would make an amazing father."

Erwin immediately regretted sharing that impression with Levi when the omega's expression darkened. "If you say so. Guess we'll never find out, right? Hange and I can't have brats together even if the day comes when we could retire and I can get off these goddamned suppressants."

Erwin felt his expression drop into his political mask, but inside, he felt like complete shit for bringing the subject up. He'd not only reminded Levi of his barren relationship with Hange; he'd thrown salt right in his face. "I appreciate everything you do for the Legion, and for humanity. I should have considered my words more carefully."

"Tch, please." Levi shrugged. "You don't have to apologize to me for being a realist, Erwin. There's a reason Hange and I got pulled together, and it wasn't to bring a litter of brats into this world. We're mated because we compliment each other, and that's it. Your apologies are misplaced and they can go fuck themselves."

Levi didn't wait for Erwin's response. He instead left the office, closing the door behind him and leaving Erwin wondering over how fate worked between alphas and omegas.

* * *

-To be continued

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Levi: "You could have told me we were mated, asshole."
> 
> Hange: "Well, I didn't know until recently!"
> 
> Erwin: "...carry on. I'll pretend I'm deaf."
> 
> Levi: "Shit, I can't get it up. This ain't right."
> 
> Hange: "Well, we could...okay, you're going down on me. Um...sure. Go ahead."
> 
> Eren: "Do I stink" *sniff sniff*
> 
> Levi (to Erwin): "Give me your key, motherfucker. Now."
> 
> Erwin: "Are we sure I'm the alpha in this scenario?"


	7. Chapter 7

Hange found Mikasa crying on the floor of the women's bathroom a few days later. She went in to have a bath upon being told by Levi that she stank of chemicals, and she halted her footsteps upon seeing the raven-haired young woman curled up in the corner, hugging herself. Alarmed, Hange went to her immediately and squatted down to reach out and squeeze her shoulder.

"Mikasa, my dear, what's the matter?"

Used to seeing this sort of thing when young women of Mikasa's age had a period and didn't have anything available to ease cramps or pad themselves, Hange's mind went straight to that possibility. She was not prepared for Mikasa's answer.

"I c-can't make it go away."

Hange frowned in confusion. "Make _what_ go away, honey?"

Mikasa looked at her with hesitant, tearful dark eyes, She remained curled up, and she was blushing darkly. "The…the protrusion. I'm like a boy!"

Hange caught on, and pity swept through her. She knew exactly what it felt like to be the only girl in a group of peers with such an issue. "Come with me, Mikasa," she invited, extending her hand. "It's going to be all right."

"How?" sniffed the younger woman, taking Hange's hand. It was unusual to see her come apart like this.

"I have something that can help to control it," explained Hange. "Medication. It will suppress that kind of reaction so that you can carry on without that inconvenience, for the most part. I can't guarantee it will stop it from happening completely, but it will definitely cut down on the public, embarrassing moments."

"I'll try anything," Mikasa said passionately. She tugged her shirt down to try and hide the tent in her crotch as she got to her feet. "So does this mean I'm an alpha, ma'am?"

"I'm afraid so," answered Hange. "I would have liked to inform you sooner, rather than have you find out this way. I was ordered not to reveal anyone's type results until the brass told me otherwise."

Mikasa scowled, but her anger wasn't directed at Hange. "Do we have any omegas in our group?"

"One," admitted Hange. "I can't tell you who it is right now, though. Let's just focus on getting you seen too, Mikasa."

* * *

Mikasa wasn't the only one suffering bad hormonal timing. It just so happened that the very next day, Eren Jaeger started to experience a curious sort of weakness in his limbs while training with his peers. He could usually go toe to toe with Jean and hold his own against him, but his reactions suddenly began to slow down. His muscles responded sluggishly, and the next thing he knew, he was pinned to the ground with his knife knocked out of his hand. He struggled to buck the taller boy off of him, growling with annoyance when he couldn't budge Jean.

"You're slow today, maniac," Jean taunted him with a grunt. "Might as well yield. I've got you beat."

"Like…hell you do," growled Eren, his bright eyes fierce with anger. He panted and kept struggling beneath Jean's hard, lean frame. His eyes widened when he felt a tingle of completely inappropriate, unexpected excitement go through him. It certainly wasn't the first time he'd felt such excitement, but never in this kind of situation, with his rival holding him down. He started to panic when his crotch started to swell. "Get off of me!"

Jean smirked. "Why don't you make me, Jaeger? Doesn't look like you can." The sandy blond scout started to stare down at him, and his breath quickened. His brows furrowed, and he lowered his head to sniff at Eren's throat. "What the hell kind of cologne did you put on today? I've never smelled it before. It's kind of…sweet. Like some kind of flower…"

Eren swallowed hard as Jean's nose brushed against his skin, and he hardened further in his pants. Suddenly, he found himself wanting to grind against the thigh pressing between his own. He felt a telling bulge beginning to press against his hip, and Jean's lips were very close to his.

"Shit, Jaeger," muttered Jean huskily. "Stop looking at me that way. I can't think with that smell coming off of you and that expression on your face."

"I'm not wearing any fucking cologne," insisted the shifter with a weak gasp, "and I'm not looking like anything!"

This was bad. Jean was rubbing against him insinuatingly, and Eren couldn't seem to resist rubbing back. The temperature felt too hot, and Eren broke into a sweat. A flush bloomed in his face, and his fingers entwined with Jean's longer ones. He couldn't stop himself, and he didn't want the other man to release him.

"God, why am I so horny?" Jean whispered, staring lustfully at the tanned brunet he had pinned beneath him. "What are you doing to me?"

"I was gonna ask you the same thing," breathed Eren. "Shit…stop rubbing your dick against me like that!"

Jean's answer to that demand was to cover Eren's mouth with his, prying his lips open to delve his tongue in. Neither of them saw the other sparring scouts stop what they were doing to stare at them in shock. Connie Springer's jaw was hanging open, and Sasha blouse dropped the bread roll she'd been holding in her mouth to squeak in shock.

"Whoa, talk about a finishing move," Ymir declared nearby. "Guys, what the hell's gotten _into_ you two?"

Suddenly, Jean's weight was torn off of Eren, and the taller boy literally went flying to land in the dirt a few feet away. Stunned, Eren blinked up to see a familiar silhouette blocking out the sun, and he cringed with the expectation of getting kicked.

"Captain…Levi," gasped Eren, curling up to shield himself. "I…it isn't what it looks like…"

The captain said nothing. Instead, he bent over, grabbed Eren by the collar of his jacket and hauled him to his feet. He looked around with flashing eyes at their audience, and he made a cold announcement. "Back as you were. The entertainment is over with. Kirstein, go have a cold bath. Jaeger, come with me."

Eren couldn't resist if he tried. His legs felt like jelly and he stumbled along behind his captain helplessly as Levi led him out of the exercise yard and into the keep.

* * *

"You got lucky, brat," Levi informed his young charge once he got him safely into the basement holding cell and locked the door behind them. He shoved Eren onto the bed without ceremony, ignoring his shocked little cry. "Good thing I happened along to see the crowd watching, or you might have gotten your cherry popped right there in front of them all."

Eren looked understandably confused as he stared up at the older man, panting softly and tugging at the collar of his shirt to loosen it. "I don't understand what happened, sir," he whined. "So…hot. Feels like I'm in an oven!"

"That's because you're going into your first heat," explained Levi grimly. "I _told_ those bastards they should at least allow us to let you know you were an omega. I knew this shit was gonna happen sooner or later."

"My first…heat?" Eren gulped, and his wide, expressive green eyes revealed dawning horror. "Are you saying…I'm an omega?"

Levi nodded. "That's right."

Eren looked down as he absorbed the news. "What's going to happen to me, then? What do I do, sir? Can I make it go away?"

Levi sighed, and he took a seat next to the boy on the narrow bed. "I wish I had a simple answer for you, brat. The truth is you're just going to have to cope with it, at least for a little while. We can try giving you some suppressants, and Hange can work on getting you a suitable prescription that won't cause too many side effects. In the meantime, you'll have to be quarantined down here until it either fades or we can get it under control. Otherwise things like what happened to you earlier are bound to happen again. Let's avoid that, shall we?"

"Jean," whispered Eren with a frown. "H-he tried to…he was going to…"

"It wasn't really his fault," explained Levi calmly. "He was reacting to your heat that way because he's an alpha. Probably started going into rut as soon as he had you pinned and smelled your pheromones. It's a natural reaction and he's too young and inexperienced to know how to try and control himself."

"How long have you known?" Eren whispered.

Levi shrugged. "About a week. I was hoping they'd lift the gag order and let us tell you and the other atypicals before something like this happened, but it seems you reached omega puberty before that could happen."

"They'll kick me out of the scouts," guessed Eren. He started to tremble, and he squirmed in an attempt to ease the discomfort of his erection. "Where can I go?"

"Don't rush to conclusions," advised Levi. "You're an exception, Eren. As a shifter and one of our most tactical advantages in this war, immediate discharge is unlikely. My guess is they'll make suppressants a compulsory condition for you to stay in our ranks, just as they did me."

"If it'll stop me from feeling like this," Eren said sincerely, "then I'll do it. I don't even _like_ Jean and I was ready to let him take me without a fight! I'm so fucking humiliated! Uh, excuse my language, sir."

"Don't sweat it." Levi tilted his head and regarded the younger man thoughtfully. "Though I've got to admit, Kirstein wasn't the one I expected you to end up dry humping in the dirt. I thought it would happen with Mikasa before it happened with him. Hmph. Life's full of surprises."

"I…don't feel that way about girls," Eren whispered. "But I can't stand Jean. I can't believe how suddenly it happened. I got so horny so fast, and I couldn't think straight."

"That's how it happens to most of us," Levi assured him. "It isn't your fault. When an omega goes into heat, the drive to mate is usually too strong to ignore. That's why it's always best to have someone we can trust to take care of that need, if suppressants don't work or we aren't on any. It's far too easy for alphas or even betas to take advantage of us, because it's hard to be picky when all you want is something hard and thick up your ass. Plus the weakness most omegas experience. I guess nature designed us to be easy targets for breeding."

Eren blushed more deeply. "Um, Captain? Is that how you and Hange got together? I know it isn't my business, but—"

"Yeah, that's how we got together," interrupted Levi. "It was just an arrangement of convenience at first, so that I wouldn't lose my shit and end up screwing a male alpha or beta and getting knocked up. We need to ensure that doesn't happen to you, Eren. You can't do your part in our goals for Wall Maria if you end up in that situation."

Eren shuddered, squirming again and trying to catch his breath. "I know, sir. I don't want to end up in that situation either."

"Then let's focus on getting you some relief and keeping you safely away from any alphas, for now. Think you can manage to keep your head while I go and get Hange?"

"You said…keep me away from alphas," wheezed Eren. He started to teeter, and Levi pushed him down on the bed.

"Lie down before you faint," ordered Levi. "Hange's okay to bring down here. She's on suppressants and we're in a pair bond, otherwise I wouldn't be okay with it."

Eren nodded and shut his eyes, taking deep, calming breaths. "Okay, Captain. I'll do my best to stay calm."

"Good. Just keep breathing slow and steady. We'll try to get you cooled off and medicated."

* * *

"Oh, you poor thing," sighed Hange a while later after Levi fetched her. Eren was tossing and turning restlessly, feverish from his condition and sweating profusely. Hange opened up her medical bag, not wasting any time. "How long has he been like this, Levi?"

"Not long. Maybe a half hour," answered the captain. "I got him down here as soon as it started."

Hange nodded, and she rummaged through her bag to find a vial and a syringe. "It looks like it came on pretty fast. I think injection is the best way to handle this quickly. We need to take the edge off, and after that I can put him on generic pill form until I can find the ideal subscription for him. Levi, why don't you dampen a cloth to start cooling him off while I get this ready?"

"Sure." Levi dipped the cloth he'd brought down with him into the wooden bowl he'd set on the trunk. He soaked the material, wrung it out a bit and dabbed at Eren's flushed face with it.

"Dad," groaned Eren dazedly. "T-too hot. Can I…have a drink?"

Levi and Hange glanced at each other, and Hange smiled at Levi. "I guess he's a bit delirious with the swoon. It's kind of precious that he just mistook you for his father though."

"I think it's sick," muttered Levi. "That shit-head was responsible for turning him into a shifter."

Hange sighed. "Yes, but if he hadn't done that, Eren wouldn't be alive right now and we wouldn't have the advantage of his abilities. Obviously he's comforted by your presence, so just put aside your disgust for what Doctor Jaeger did and be here for Eren."

The captain shrugged, and he pressed the damp cloth to Eren's forehead and then got up to pour some water from the pitcher in the room for the teenager. He brought the cup to the boy and he slid an arm beneath Eren's shoulders to help him raise his head. "Easy," advised Levi as the younger man grabbed the cup with both hands and started gulping it. "Sip it, brat. You'll choke yourself."

Hange clucked her tongue as she measured out a dose of suppressant medication according to Eren's body weight. She got the bubbles out of it, and then she helped Levi get Eren's jacket off. She rolled up the teen's sleeve and she wiped at her target area with astringent.

"Okay Eren, just a little sting," she soothed. She didn't think the young man could even comprehend what she was saying. Eren had dropped the cup Levi gave to him, having finished off the liquid in it. His arm was limp as Hange extended it to administer the injection. Eren flinched slightly, but he didn't pull away.

"Okay, that's done," announced Hange. She placed the syringe in a case to be cleaned and sterilized later, and she stroked Eren's hair soothingly. "You should start feeling better soon, dear. It won't stop it completely, but it will make it easier to bear."

Eren's eyes drifted shut and he whimpered. Levi dabbed at the boy's face again with the cloth, keeping his thoughts hidden behind his usual deadpan mask.

"So, Jean Kirstein jumped him, huh?" Hange asked softly.

Levi nodded. "Fortunately, nothing more than a little grinding happened before I pulled the idiot off of him. He's lucky I didn't kick him a new asshole."

"Well, you had Eren to consider," excused Hange, "and getting him seen to was more important than satisfying your annoyance. I'm sure Jean is going to be mortified when he comes to his senses."

Hange looked at her lover thoughtfully, noting the tension in his shoulders. "Are you all right?"

Levi nodded. "Fine. I knew something like this might happen. This shit should have been addressed as soon as the test results came in, and it could have been a lot worse."

"But you said there were other's around," Hange pointed out. "I'm sure someone else would have intervened if you hadn't."

"All I know is they were all standing around like slaw-jawed dipshits when I noticed the crowd and came to see what was happening," grumbled Levi.

Hange smirked. "Probably shocked stupid by what was happening. Anyway, you stopped it and Eren is going to be okay. I can watch over him while you report the incident to Erwin, if you want."

Levi considered her for a moment, and then he nodded. "Yeah. How's Ackerman holding up, by the way?"

"She's sleeping in my quarters right now," sighed Hange. "Check on her for me when you finish with the commander, would you? I gave her a sedative just before you came to me about Eren."

"I can do that." Levi straightened up, leaving the cloth again folded on Eren's head. "Did you give Mikasa any suppressants?"

"Yes. I'll need to monitor her for any negative reactions to it. Oh shit…I can't be in there with her and down here with Eren at the same time, though!"

"I'll find Moblit," suggested Levi. "He can keep an eye on her for you, can't he?"

"Ah, good idea." Hange rubbed her forehead. "It just figures that all three of them would be in synch like this. Someone should check on Jean, too."

"Not me," growled Levi. "I'm resisting the temptation to kick his ass."

"Then ask Erwin." Hange shrugged. "He's level-headed and an alpha himself. These kids need guidance from someone that can relate with what they're going though, Levi. I'm sure you know that Jean was only reacting naturally to the situation, and not because he's a creep."

"Tch. Fine. I told Eren the same damned thing earlier, but it's not easy to keep reminding myself of that."

Hange nodded in understanding, and she prepared to go through Eren's medical records to determine the best likely prescription to try first with him. "Keep your temper in check, tiny captain. No real harm was done, and we'll help level Eren out."

* * *

A while later, the captain gave Erwin his account of what had happened. Erwin sat behind his desk frowning at Levi. "Do you mean to tell me that all three of them experienced their first hormonal reactions at virtually the same time?"

"I wouldn't say it all happened at once," Levi corrected with a shrug. "Hange found Mikasa in the bathroom before the incident with Eren and Jean occurred. Eren's heat triggered Jean's rut. It's probably just a stupid coincidence."

"I see. And how are they all now?"

"I'm going to check on Mikasa and find Moblit to watch over her after I finish here," answered Levi. "Then I'm going back down to the basement to see how Eren's doing. As for Kirstein, Hange thinks you should step up and deal with him. Our hands are full as it is."

"And you think mine aren't?" Erwin spread said hands. "Levi, I'm up to my neck in paperwork, and I'm going to need to return to the capital to prepare for Eren's court date. Perhaps you should approach Mike about having a chat with Jean, instead."

"Mike?" Levi raised a brow. "Shit, you're better off just giving me the go-ahead to kick the shit out of him as a warning not to do it again. Mike's as talkative as a ball of lint. He's not going to be any help to that kid."

Levi absently retrieved his favorite fighting knife from within an inner pocket of his jacket. He unsheathed it and he flipped it deftly, watching the blade catch the light from Erwin's desk lamp. "Hange's mentoring Mikasa. I'm mentoring Eren. I think you ought to be the one to mentor Jean. If any alpha behind these walls knows a little something about self-control, it's you. We're all stretched for free time, chief."

Erwin sighed. "I'll see what I can do. I suppose I must concede to your observation concerning Mike. I may have to assign some of this paperwork to him, if I'm to invest personal time into advising Jean."

"We all do what's necessary, right?" Levi spun the knife, apparently got bored with fooling with it and sheathed it again. "At any rate, I'd better get going. Eren was in pretty bad shape when I left him and I don't want to take the risk that his condition might cause an accidental shifting incident."

"A valid concern," agreed Erwin with a nod. "Thank you for bringing all of this to my attention, Levi."

* * *

Eren wasn't sure how long he'd been passed out. He came out of it in a fit of confusion, and while he still felt some urgency and discomfort, he was no longer burning up. He opened his eyes with a frown, and he looked around at his surroundings. He wasn't chained to the wall, as he usually would be. Captain Levi was sitting in the chair in the corner of the cell, near the door. His arms were folded over his chest, his head was bowed and his booted ankles were crossed over one another, his legs stretched out. He appeared to be napping.

"Captain?" Eren said hoarsely. He remembered the embarrassing, out of control moment with Jean. He remembered Levi yanking the taller boy off of him and getting him down to the cell. Everything got fuzzy after that. He had a vague recollection of Hange watching over him and a fever dream of his father. Eren sat up gingerly, finding his balance off. The washcloth on his forehead fell off, and the shifter bit his lip and started to swing his legs over the side of the bed. He was just about to try and get up when he heard footsteps approaching outside the cell door.

A familiar pair of sapphire blue eyes peered into the cell from the barred window in the door, set in a handsome face. Erwin's voice floated through a moment later.

"Levi? Are you in there?"

Levi snorted and jerked awake. "Eh? Hey, what are you doing down here?" he demanded, peering at his superior through the portal. "Didn't we agree no alphas down here when Eren is in this condition?"

"Didn't you agree that I have better self-control than most?" Erwin shot back. "Let me in, Captain. That is an order."

Levi compressed his lips, but he got up and unlocked the door for the commander. He immediately went to Eren's bedside afterwards and he stood over it with a warning in his eyes as Erwin came into the cell. The blond man didn't come in very far; he stayed near the door and he examined Eren quietly for a moment. Eren looked between his captain and his commander, sensing the tension thick in the air. Erwin's alpha scent reached the shifter, and Eren took a deep breath through his nose. It was pleasantly musky…masculine. He liked it better than Jean's scent, and Eren blushed deeply as his groin started to throb. He found this reaction to Erwin a bit more tolerable than the one he'd had with Jean, though. At least he liked the commander.

"How are you feeling, Eren?" prompted the alpha. "I wanted to come and see for myself before leaving for the capital."

"Better, sir." Eren cringed inwardly. "So um…I guess you heard about…what happened with Jean today?"

"Yesterday, actually." Erwin smiled gently. "You've been out for a day, and yes, I was informed of the incident."

"Damn," muttered the shifter, covering his face with his hands.

"Eren, give yourself some grace," suggested the commander. "It happened before either of you could comprehend what was going on, and from what I understand, Jean instigated it. I've had words with him and informed him in no uncertain terms that he is to keep his distance from you henceforth, whether you're in heat or not. I'm advising you to do the same in return, for both your sakes."

Eren peeked through his fingers and nodded. "Yes sir. That's…a good idea."

"It's going to take more than one day of advice to get that kid's head on straight," Levi protested with a frown.

"I realize that." Erwin leaned casually against the wall, further distancing himself from Eren. He kept his eyes on Levi, almost as if avoiding looking at the teenaged omega. "We've already discussed this though, Captain. I can't neglect my other responsibilities, and I'm doing what I can. In fact, I've decided to take Kirstein with me when I leave this afternoon. He can work as my assistant while we are in Stohess. I'm arranging a meeting between myself, Pixis and Zackly."

Levi tilted his head. "What are you planning now, chief?"

Erwin sighed. "My intention is to avoid another trial. If I can convince the higher ups to negotiate a similar agreement to what was drawn up for you without putting Eren through a trial, I will. Is this acceptable to you both?"

Eren breathed a sigh of relief. He'd heard about some of the questions they'd bombarded Captain Levi when he went on trial, and he had no desire to go through that. "That would be great, sir. Thank you."

"Don't thank me just yet," warned Erwin. "My persuasive powers only go so far, and I can't make any guarantees."

"Tch, you could charm the leg off a dead titan," Levi observed. "So what's your angle going to be?"

"I'll plead my case in much the same way I did with you. I'll remind them that like yourself, Eren is exceptional and far too valuable to our cause to be removed from the scouts. In addition, I'll make the point that Eren only recently discovered that he's an omega, and he didn't attempt to hide it. Therefore putting him on trial would be pointless. This can and should be settled without interrogating the boy in front of a jury of peers."

"Hmm. It might work." Levi scratched his chin. "Seems logical to me, anyhow. He's going to be on suppressants and unless they don't work for him or make him too sick, that ought to be the end of it."

Erwin nodded, and he finally looked at Eren again. "Just as I did for Levi, I will fight tooth and nail to ensure you remain with the scouts, Eren. I'll take full responsibility for any mishaps that might occur due to your being an omega."

Eren looked down at his lap, and he bunched up the sheets some more just in case his lingering condition might be obvious. "I appreciate that, Commander Erwin. Are there any other alphas in my age group besides Jean? If there are, I want to know who to watch out for."

Erwin exchanged a look with Levi, who raised his brows expectantly at him. The commander spoke softly. "Yes, there was one other that tested positive. I think considering the circumstances, we'll wave the decision to keep it quiet until your situation is worked out. The other alpha from your group is a female."

"They are?" Eren sat forward a little with interest, temporarily forgetting about his heat discomfort. "Who? Is it Ymir? I can see her being an alpha."

"Nope." Levi shook his head. "It's Mikasa."

Eren blinked, looking between Levi and Erwin. "Seriously? Oh shit. Er, sorry for my language."

"I wouldn't worry," soothed Erwin. "Hange assures me that the female alpha suppressants she's given to Mikasa are working without any negative side-effects. I don't anticipate her being a problem—particularly considering her fondness for you."

Levi nodded in agreement. "Hange's been mentoring her between responsibilities. You, her and Jean are all going to need your training methods adjusted of course, but if Erwin pulls this off with the brass, things should continue more or less as normal."

Eren sighed. "I just hope suppressants work for me."

"One thing at a time, Eren." The commander took a deep breath, and Eren realized he was breathing in the lingering heat scent. To his credit, Erwin didn't react except to reach for the door handle.

"Well then, I should take my leave. With luck, I should return in three or so days. I hope you feel better soon, Eren."

Eren decided it was best for him to breathe through his mouth until Erwin was gone and his scent faded. He nodded, and his voice sounded a little stuffy due to him consciously avoiding inhaling through his nose. "Thank you, sir."

Levi went to the door and locked it behind Erwin as the alpha left. He turned back around to face Eren, and he reached into his jacket. He produced a bottle of pills and he tossed them lightly onto the bed. "First try at your pill form, kid," he informed the shifter as Eren picked up the bottle to examine it. "Hange thinks this is the most likely formula to work for you, and we'll go from there and make adjustments as needed."

"Oh." Eren opened the bottle, shook out a pill and popped it into his mouth without hesitation. He dry-swallowed it before Levi could even pour a cup of water for him.

"That bad, huh?" Levi handed over the cup of water for Eren to chase the pill with it.

Eren closed his eyes and swallowed some of the cool liquid. "Sir, is it normal for my heat to get stronger around an alpha?"

"Yeah." Levi huffed a little, shaking his head ruefully. "Sucks, but it's a natural reaction."

"I thought so," sighed Eren. His brows furrowed. "But I don't remember having that problem around Commander Hange when she was down here with us yesterday."

"Because of her suppressants," reminded Levi. "Alpha and omega pheromones kind of bounce off each other if there's heat or a rut involved. One can trigger the other. Unfortunately, they haven't come up with an effective suppressant for male alphas yet, so I don't trust any of them to be alone with you when you're in this state."

"Not even the commander?" Eren took another sip of water. His mouth got dry at the thought of the blond. He hardly ever got to see Erwin because the man was so busy, but he always looked forward to those moments. He'd admired the commander and the captain from the beginning, but lately…

Levi did that little head-tilt of his, and he narrowed his eyes slightly on Eren. "If there were a male alpha I thought might be safe to be alone with, it would probably be Erwin. Best not to tempt fate, though."

"Yeah." Eren pulled the covers up more. "So, what happens if I start getting a heat and you aren't around? What should I do, besides try to get away from any alphas and get down here? I don't have a key to lock myself in."

"In that unlikely event, you look for Hange, Mikasa or Armin. Tell them what's happening and ask them to watch over you until I can take over. I can't give you a key to the cell, brat. That would defeat the original purpose of locking you up down here at night."

"I know." Eren sighed, and he blushed as he went on to ask more questions. "But what if _they_ aren't available, either?"

"Then you find Moblit or Nanaba. If that's not an option, pick any one of your beta friends; just so you have someone guarding you."

"So I should never go to the commander, even though you said you think he can control himself?"

Levi's steely gaze sharpened on Eren, and the shifter hastily looked away with self-conscious awkwardness. "If you're left between the choice of going to Erwin and going to Mike for help," said the captain slowly, "then you go to Erwin."

"But not Squad Commander Mike?" pressed Eren. "You don't think he'd be safe?"

Levi appeared to consider the question, and he shook his head. "Not safe enough. The big bastard likes to play it off like he's got iron stoicism, but he's not as cool-headed as he likes to think. I've seen evidence of that. If you're ever faced with needing to go to a male alpha for help, stick with the commander."

"Okay." Eren squirmed. The medication that Hange injected him with was wearing off, and he was feeling restless. He didn't know how long it might take for the pill he'd taken to kick in, if it worked at all. "Captain Levi, I don't know how to ask this, but…could I have some privacy for a little while? Maybe a half hour?"

Levi suddenly smirked knowingly at him. "Need to spank the monkey, do you?"

Eren groaned, and he plopped down on the bed to hide his face in the pillow.

"Oi, all guys do it, Jaeger," Levi reminded him. "You've just got a more pressing need right now than average. I'll fuck off and give you a little privacy, but I'm just going right around the corner. Gotta keep an eye on you for any bad reactions to the suppressant you just took, so try to make it quick."

Eren nodded wordlessly, keeping his face buried until he heard the captain leave.

* * *

That evening, Hange joined Levi in his quarters and they discussed things as they lay down in his bed together.

"Well, so far the suppressants seem to be working on Eren," Levi informed her, threading his fingers behind his head and staring up at the ceiling. "I also gave him some of that masking spritz of yours and told him to use it religiously, even when not in heat."

"Good." Hange traced patterns on Levi's bare chest with her ink-stained fingertips. She sensed something troubling him, though he was doing a fine job of hiding it. "Mikasa is doing much better as well. You know Levi, as bad as that incident with Eren and Jean was, it could have been worse and I think those boys and Mikasa should sit down together and talk about things."

Levi shot an intensely disapproving look at her. "You're shitting me."

"Not at all," she insisted. "They're different from their squad mates, lover. They're going to each need specialized training, they're experiencing sexual maturity differently, and the only people they have to talk to about all these frightening changes are us old fogies. Those three might not be the same types, but they share being atypical from everyone else. Sometimes it helps to have someone your own age to talk to, someone that knows how it feels to differ from everyone around you."

"He can talk to Mikasa about it if he wants," Levi huffed. "He's not supposed to be near Kirstein unless it's in formation."

"Levi," she sighed, "How is it going to help either of those kids to avoid each other completely? They have mutual friends. They need to learn how to cope with their own bodies and how to interact with opposite types. I don't think segregation is the way to go, though I do agree they shouldn't be alone together until we're sure they won't attack each other."

She lifted her head and smiled down at him. "Besides, if Mikasa's there, nothing's likely to happen of that nature. She might let them beat the shit out of each other, but I sincerely doubt she'd let them get it on."

Levi's frown relaxed a bit. "Good point, I've got to concur. I'll think about it. Let's just see what happens when Erwin gets back from the capital. If things work out and Eren's allowed to stay with us, I'll consider it."

"I suppose that's all I can ask you to do." Hange kissed him on the cheek. "You're such a protective papa."

"Shut up," he groused. "I'm not his dad, I'm just his guardian."

"Protective little Daddy Levi," she went on with a chuckle.

"Do I need to kick your ass?"

Hange brushed off the threat. She decided to change the subject. ""How are those new suppressants working for you, grump?"

Levi went still, and his mouth worked for a second before he tightened his jaw and looked away. "They're keeping the heat away, but they make me feel edgy. I still can't get it up, either."

Hange didn't need to be told that last part. She nodded in sympathy, and she kissed him on the cheek. "Then it's time to adjust the formula again. You're sleeping even less than usual, but I think Eren's situation might be a factor as well."

"Yeah," he sighed. "Let's do some adjustments."

* * *

Erwin didn't return within the time he expected to, and Levi could only guess at what the hold-up was. An extra day passed, followed by another. There was nothing to be done about it. Levi knew that if something had gone wrong, the commander would have sent word back to him. He could only presume that the politics were taking longer than anticipated. In the meantime, he tried another variation of omega suppressants concocted by Hange, and he became violently ill as a result. Little over an hour passed after taking his first one, and he ended up on his knees vomiting over the toilet.

He concealed it as best he could, nearing desperation now for some semblance of normalcy. Suppressants generally did some kind of number on him when he first started taking them, and he decided to just suffer through the nausea for a few days before writing the new prescription off as a bust.

It just happened to be Levi's bad luck that Mike happened to be standing outside the door waiting for him after one such vomiting spell, and Levi cursed and wiped his mouth self-consciously upon finding the big blond there.

"Dinner didn't agree with me," excused Levi.

"Uh-huh." Mike sniffed in his direction, but he was careful not to lean in. "You didn't eat dinner, though."

"How the fuck do you know?"

"I'm not smelling any of it on your breath." The alpha shrugged. "I know you're not pregnant, so what's going on?"

"Just not feeling too hot tonight," muttered Levi. "Mind your own business, sniffy."

Mike smirked at the use of the nickname Hange had made up for him. "You smell like vomit half the time, lately. Haven't seen you eating in the mess hall or taking any to your quarters, either."

"What are you, my mother? Leave off. I'm fine."

"You've lost weight." Mike shrugged. "Does Hange know?"

Levi narrowed his eyes at the other man. Hange had been away for the past two days at the holding compound, doing experiments on her pet titans. Mike knew damned good and well she didn't know, and it irritated him that the big bastard made a point of bringing her up as if she were Levi's keeper.

"Hey, she's your mate," Mike reminded him calmly. "She'd want to know. So would you if she got sick."

Levi hesitated. "I've got my reasons for keeping it to myself."

Mike sighed, shaking his head. "Be that way. It's your call."

The alpha walked away then, leaving his smaller comrade to his thoughts. Levi watched him go, and he checked a sigh. Erwin would hear about this eventually, of course. Mike could generally keep things to himself, but if he thought it was important, he'd tell Erwin eventually. He'd been there to support Levi during the trial as a silent presence, but the only one that really knew Mike was the commander himself.

"Fuck," breathed Levi, leaning back against the wall and staring up at the ceiling. He was feeling weak and shaky, and he knew that was primarily due to lack of nourishment and sleep. Eren was okay for now; he was responding better to his suppressants than Levi was. Mikasa seemed all right as well. The only one getting their ass kicked by the stuff so far was Levi.

Deciding he should at least try to choke down some bread and tea, Levi went downstairs. He nodded at Petra as he passed her, ignoring her worried look. He knew he was too pale. He knew Mike was right, and that he'd lost a little weight in the short time since he started the newest prescription. He was just so damned tired of being on edge and impotent.

Levi bumped into someone on the stairs, and he was about to snap at them to watch where they were going. He found himself looking at Hange's dirt-smudged face. He went still and he blinked, wondering if he was getting delirious. He could smell her earthy scent though, blending in with the road dust and sweaty body odor.

"Four eyes?" He blurted stupidly.

Hange hugged him abruptly, pulling him tightly against her and murmuring into his ear. "I don't know what's going on, my surly little boop, but I had to come. It's been nagging me all day long, and now that I see you, I know my instincts weren't bullshitting me."

"Damn it," sighed the captain, allowing himself to be held simply because he couldn't resist his mate's stinky yet welcome embrace. "You're getting dirt all over me."

* * *

A while later, Levi was in bed with pillows piled up behind his back, and Hange was freshly washed up and in her bathrobe. She combed through her damp hair with a little wince as she joined him at his bedside, doing her best to get the tangles out.

"There," she stated, sitting down on the mattress. "Do I smell more tolerable?"

"Mildly," he answered dryly.

He was staring at her though…staring in a way that made her cheeks feel warm and her loins ache. It felt like ages since they'd last had any form of intercourse, though Levi was very generous with his hands and mouth to make up for that.

"Here, let me do that," he demanded, reaching for the comb.

She didn't argue with him. She scooted closer and tilted her head back to let him groom her. Levi was so much better at detangling her hair than Hange was. She closed her eyes and she enjoyed the gentle tugs as he worked the comb through her loose, wet hair.

"You haven't been using the tea conditioner," he observed softly, "and you're too damned rough with your hair."

Hange chuckled. "I actually ran out of what you gave me while I was away. I just don't have your touch when it comes to hygiene, Levi."

"Tch. No kidding." He combed the hair back over her ears, careful not to catch her glasses as he did so. "You've got a good touch with other things, though."

Hange righted her head, and she turned to look at him. "Your timing for flirtation is shit, Levi. Here you are laid up because your prescription made you sick, and you pick now to be romantic."

"I told you from the beginning that I suck at romance," he shot back.

She chuckled. "Yes, you did." She turned around completely, and she straddled him, taking away the comb. "But you do have your moments, sweetheart."

There was a knock at the door, and before Hange could climb back off of her mate, the portal opened and Eren Jaeger peeked in. "Hi. Oh…I'm interrupting."

"Not at all," Hange assured, getting off of Levi so as not to make him or Eren uncomfortable. "I was just giving our cranky captain a bit of loving affection, Eren. Come on in."

Levi was less hospitable. "What are you doing here, brat?"

Eren looked aggrieved, but he stepped in regardless, and he carried with him a wooden bowl with a spoon in it. Steam rose from the bowl, and he shut the door behind him with his foot as he approached. "I'm sorry for intruding, sir. Commander Hange asked me to bring this."

Levi sniffed in the direction of the other omega as Eren approached with the offering. "What is it?"

"Broth," Hange answered before Eren could. "Just some vegetable broth, grump. You need nourishment, and tea alone isn't enough. I think we need to take you off of your current prescription and make more adjustments. You'll be too weak to go on our next expedition if this keeps up."

"Given how long it's been postponed so far, I've got time." Levi reluctantly took the bowl of broth from Levi, and he scooped up a spoonful and blew on it. "Don't expect me to have much of this. My stomach's still squirming and I might not hold it down."

"Levi, I don't want you taking more of this prescription," Hange insisted with a frown. "The alterations I made obviously aren't agreeing with you, and you _have_ to be able to eat."

Eren added his own voice to Hange's reasoning. "Please, Captain. You're so tired."

When Levi glared at the boy, Eren snapped his mouth shut, and he prudently started for the door. "Please excuse me. I shouldn't have said anything!"

"Eren, wait," Hange pleaded, but the kid was gone like a ghost within moments. The scientist sighed, chuckled ruefully and rubbed her forehead. "What a couple we make, Levi. I think between the two of us, we manage to scare our own allies more than any titans."

"I'm just tired of my personal shit getting aired every time I turn around," he remarked. He sipped at a spoonful of his broth, and then he replaced the eating utensil in the bowl. "I'm tired of it being everyone's business. Most of all, I'm sick of being a cold fish. I want to keep taking the latest suppressants, Hange. I want to give them a chance. If the nausea doesn't stop in a few days, then we can try something else."

Hange bit her lip. She understood his frustration, she really did. His health overall was more important than their sex life to her, though. "Levi, I don't know…"

Levi sat forward and he put a hand on her knee. "Hey. I'm not asking you to give it a long time. I'm just asking for a few more days. If this shit keeps up by the weekend, I'll go back to my original suppressants until you have time to work out another formula. We've got to give the side effects a chance to wear off though, before we write this one off as another failure."

Hange faltered. Yes, it had been proven in the past until recently that Levi usually suffered about a week of side effects before leveling out when on suppressants. "I'm just more worried about how this batch is making you react."

"I know you are, shitty glasses." Levi had another sip of broth, and a little color returned to his complexion. "You've got too much shit on your plate to keep juggling my situation along with everything else, though. Can't believe you stopped your research to come check in on me like this."

"You're my mate," she said, inadvertently echoing Mike's words. "Of _course_ I would check in on you after sensing something was wrong, you stubborn ass."

Levi had yet another spoonful of broth, and he shrugged. "Fine. Just let this go until the weekend."

Hange breathed a slow sigh, and she nodded. "Until the weekend. I can do that for you. After that if things haven't improved, we're switching your suppressants again."

* * *

-To be continued

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mikasa: "OMG why do I have a dick?!"
> 
> Hange: "Oh, that. Don't worry, it's nothing. Even so, let's get it shrunk so you don't have to walk around like you've been in the saddle for days.
> 
> Eren: "I hate you!"
> 
> Jean: "Feeling's mutual, asshole!"
> 
> *Making out ensues*
> 
> Levi: "Jean, let me show you how to fly without ODM gear. I think you'll be a natural."
> 
> Jean: "Ow, my ass!"
> 
> Levi: "That's probably what Jaeger would be saying tonight if I hadn't intervened."
> 
> Eren: "Daddy, it's hot!"
> 
> Levi: (눈_눈) "That's just disturbing."
> 
> Hange: "Awww, he thinks you're his papa! How cute!"
> 
> Levi: "It's not fucking cute."
> 
> Erwin: "So Mikasa sprung a boner, Eren had his heat and Jean tried to molest him. And this all happened within two days?"
> 
> Levi: ┐( ˘_˘)┌ "Shit happens. Frequently. From various orifices."
> 
> Erwin: "…you aren't even speaking metaphorically anymore, are you?"
> 
> Levi: "Nope."
> 
> Erwin: "Levi, let me in."
> 
> Levi: "Or what? You gonna blow my house down?"
> 
> Erwin: "That's an order."
> 
> Levi: "Fucker. Fine, keep your distance."
> 
> Eren: "Oooh, Commander Erwin smells good."
> 
> Levi: "Go ahead and beat off, Eren. Get it out of your system."
> 
> Eren: *smothers self in pillow from embarrassment*
> 
> Levi: "So I've thrown up for two days. I'm still taking the suppressants so I can be with Hange."
> 
> Mike: "Yeah, 'cause Hange's going to find you real sexy with vomit all over you."
> 
> Levi: "STFU."


	8. Chapter 8

"Okay Eren, that's enough for today. Go ahead and shift back."

Eren did as his captain advised, and he emerged from the nape of his titan body with a hiss of steam. Levi got up nimbly on his back to help him out of it while Hange scribbled down more notes.

"How is it, brat?" inquired the captain. His strong arms were around the shifter, tugging him free of the clingy flesh connecting him to the carcass.

"Not bad, sir." Eren spoke groggily, as he tended to do after first transforming back to his human form. He worked with Levi to free himself, and within moments he pulled loose and was taken back to the ground in Levi's arms. He accepted the canteen of water given to him by Hange. "I think I'm getting better at getting my legs back afterwards."

"That's good, Eren," approved Hange. "The better you get at recovering your wits and strength, the better your chances of survival. I'm really happy with today's results. That hardening ability you've started to use is going to come in useful when you master it!"

She glanced up from what she was writing, and Hange frowned. "Oh dear. Eren, honey, you've got a little nosebleed."

"I do?" Eren wiped impulsively at his nose, and his fingers came away red.

"Here." Levi handed the shifter a handkerchief, and Eren took it with quiet thanks to hold it under his nose.

The captain looked at their titan expert. "Think this bleed could be due to the suppressants he's on, or could it be related to him using a new ability in titan form?"

"It's hard to say." Hange's brows were furrowed with concern. "We can test that tomorrow after he's rested. Eren, we won't try out the hardening ability during tomorrow's tests, all right? We'll stick to the usual routine and if you still get a nosebleed, we'll know it isn't due to trying out that new skill. We may need to adjust your suppressants a little."

Eren nodded. "Yes ma'am."

Levi helped the shifter onto his horse and then mounted up. He looked over at Hange, and he finally felt the first real stirring of desire that he hadn't experienced since he started taking the suppressants. He blinked, hardly believing it. Hange had gone along with his insistence that he stay on the most recent formula, and today was the first day he'd gone without vomiting. Damned good thing too, because the deadline was tomorrow. He'd had a feeling, and he was glad that he'd listened to his instincts and insisted on giving the prescription more time.

"Levi?" Hange tilted her head and regarded him curiously, noticing his stare.

"We'll talk when we get back to the keep," he promised. He nearly smirked. Their abstinence period was finally going to come to an end. Perhaps not immediately, but hopefully by the time evening came around.

* * *

Eren's nosebleed stopped by the time they rode up to the keep, and he started to offer Levi's handkerchief back to him. Seeing the blood staining it, he changed his mind, embarrassed. The captain glanced at him, and Eren shrugged sheepishly and gave a weak, apologetic smile. "I'm sorry I stained it up, sir. I'll wash it as soon as we get inside."

Levi shook his head. "No, not right away. Soak it in some cool water for a couple of hours first, so the stain doesn't set. If you can't get the blood out, don't worry. Just keep it. I've got so many stained up handkerchiefs it doesn't matter."

Eren thanked him, though he still felt bad about it. He'd never seen Levi use a stained handkerchief. How the man managed to keep them so white after using them so often to wipe titan blood from his pairing blades was a mystery to Eren, but then, titan blood tended to evaporate on its own eventually. Maybe the blood he'd left on this handkerchief would evaporate as well, since he was a shifter.

As they rode up to the stables, Eren drew his mount to a halt abruptly, his heart pounding. Commander Erwin's white stallion was in its stall. Jean's tanned horse was there as well, one stall over.

"Well, looky here!" Hange exclaimed, echoing Eren's thoughts. "It looks like Commander Handsome is finally back! Come on, boys, let's get our horses settled in and go find out what news they have for us."

Eren swallowed. His anxiety spiked, and it wasn't just because he was about to find out whether he had a court date coming up. He had to face Jean again. He had to face Commander Erwin. Why the latter should make him so nervous, he couldn't really say. Erwin hadn't judged him for what happened between him and Jean that day. He seemed to understand that it was not purposely orchestrated by either of them, just as Captain Levi and Commander Hange did. In fact, everyone had been completely understanding of it. Armin and Mikasa were both very supportive of Eren and they reminded him each time he mentioned it that he wasn't in his right mind. Armin had apparently done some reading about alphas and omegas, and he explained to both Eren and Mikasa that sometimes when coming of age, the first heat or rut could come on so suddenly that the recipients had no chance to prepare for or counter it.

 _~It wasn't my fault,~_ Eren told himself over and over again as he dismounted his horse, removed the saddle and walked the animal to its stall. _~It wasn't really Jean's fault, either. I shouldn't still be so pissed off at him for mauling me like that. I just really can't stand the guy most of the time. Why the hell did it have to be_ him _, of all people?~_

Of course, if it hadn't been Jean that reacted to his pheromones, it might have been Mike, Mikasa or Erwin. The thought of the first two ravishing him in the dirt like that was almost as disturbing to him as Jean doing it. He hardly knew Squad Commander Mike, and Mikasa he thought of as a sister. Commander Erwin was far too in control of himself to have lost his shit the way Jean did, but as Eren imagined what it would have been like if the man had been near him and his discipline slipped, he blushed.

 _~I…wouldn't have minded,~_ the shifter admitted to himself, and with that admittance came a deep sense of shame. How could he even think like that about the commander? He was much older than Eren, and he was his superior.

"I'm turning into a perverted freak, on top of everything else," muttered Eren to his horse. He didn't even realize he'd spoken aloud.

"What was that, love?" Hange asked from the next stall over.

Eren flushed bright red, and he hid his face against his horse's neck. "Nothing! I was just muttering to my horse, Squad Commander."

He cast a covert look around to locate Levi, and he blushed even deeper when he saw the small captain standing right outside his stall, watching him with his head tilted. He could tell by the calculating look in Levi's steely eyes that he'd heard him, but the older man took pity on Eren, and he said nothing.

* * *

Erwin summoned Hange, Levi and Eren to his office in the keep as soon as Mike told him they were back from their titan training session. A short while later, the three of them came in and Erwin stood up from behind his desk and motioned at the chairs set out.

"Please have a seat. I have news for you all." He noticed a spot of crusted blood underneath Eren's nose, and he nodded at the shifter. "Did you have an accident?"

"Sir?" Eren's wide gaze was confused.

"There's a bit of blood under your nose, right here." Erwin pointed at the spot under his own nose.

"Oh!" Eren took out a stained handkerchief and he wiped at it. "Sorry. I thought I got all of it."

"He's been getting nosebleeds lately when practicing his new hardening ability," Hange explained. "He's doing really well, though! If he keeps it up, we can go through with the Wall Maria plan before winter comes."

"That is, provided Eren isn't going to end up yanked out of the scouts and put on MP supervision," Levi pointed out. "So what's the news, Commander? Are we looking at a trial date, or what?"

Erwin smiled subtly, and he shook his head. "No. It took a lot of persuasion and paperwork, but I did finally manage to procure a written agreement that Eren can remain with the scouts and continue on with his service. As you can imagine, the condition is that he remain on suppressants. Have they been working as intended?"

Erwin subtly sniffed the air in Eren's direction. He could detect the young man's omega scent faintly—probably due to Hange's spritz masking most of it—but there was no longer a trace of that intoxicating heat scent. He unconsciously took a step closer, until his thighs were pressing against the edge of his desk. Even muted as it was, the natural omega scent that Eren had gained since coming of age was quite nice. It made Erwin think of nutmeg.

"It's been working like a charm so far," assured Hange. "It helped his cycle end sooner and he hasn't had any serious side effects. It's possible that the nosebleeds he's been getting after straining his titan powers could be related to the suppressants, but I doubt that."

"I suppose we can only wait an see," Erwin said. "If he has no further heats for at least three months, then we can confirm that the prescription is working as intended."

"And if it doesn't, sir?" Eren asked shyly. "I mean, if I get another one in a month or so despite the suppressants?"

"Then Hange will adjust the formula and continue working on it until one is found that most suits you. We have time to perfect it. In the meanwhile, just focus on your training and do your duties as normal."

Eren saluted him. "Yes sir!"

"I appreciate your enthusiasm." Erwin smiled briefly, and then he nodded. "You are dismissed, Jaeger. You may return to your duties."

"Thank you, Commander."

Eren left the room. Once he was gone, Erwin's warm demeanor dropped, and he looked at Hange and Levi seriously. "Now, there is something else that I'd like to discuss with the two of you."

* * *

Eren found a note on his pillow when he went to his cell after getting cleaned up for the night. He didn't recognize the handwriting, and he frowned as he read it.

_"Watchtower 2, eight o'clock pm. Be there."_

Blinking, the shifter studied the handwriting suspiciously. It didn't look like Jean's, and it wasn't Mikasa or Armin's. Who the hell wrote it, and why? Chill bumps sprang up on his skin, and he considered all of the changes he'd already gone through since finding out he was an omega. Was someone in the squad trying to set him up? There were only five alphas in their ranks as far as he knew, and he couldn't imagine any of the superior officers putting him in harm's way. Maybe some of the other young cadets that he didn't know very well were going to gang up on him…try to fuck with him because of what he was.

Eren sat down on the bed, still shirtless. He mused over it, trying to decide what to do.

He could mention it to Mikasa.

His expression darkened at the thought, and he shook his head. No, he wasn't going to run to her. Jean already gave him enough shit for how much Mikasa stood up for him and watched over him. He could handle this himself, if he chose to accept the invitation. He'd kicked Jean's ass before. He was no wimp.

However, he was pretty sure that even Hange would advise him against showing up alone when he didn't even know who he was supposed to be meeting up with. He frowned, and he examined the note again. There was something familiar about the wording, but he really couldn't place the handwriting.

He grimaced. It wasn't like him to back down, to be too afraid to explore something or take up a challenge. He'd gone straight after the Colossal titan when it appeared again. Hell, he'd been the first of the cadets to launch into action, instead of just standing there or panicking. His attacks had failed miserably, but at least he'd retained the wit and guts to act. Ironically, that quick reaction also earned Eren the moniker "Suicidal Maniac", started naturally by Jean but perpetuated by others outside his circle of friends.

"Fine, I'm a suicidal maniac," he growled, reaching for the shirt he'd laid out to change into. "If someone's trying to mess with me, they're going to regret it."

* * *

Eren stopped in his tracks when he saw Captain Levi leaning against the outer wall of the tower he was approaching. He bit his lip, hesitating. The man lifted his head to gaze at Eren, his eyes flashing silver in the moonlight.

"So what are you going to do, Jaeger?"

Confused, Eren approached his guardian. He could have said he was just up there to watch the stars for a little while before bedtime. He could have come up with a number of excuses, really. Lying to the captain just didn't sit well with him, though. Besides, Eren trusted the older omega with his life and he looked up to him. He reached into his jacket pocket to produce the folded note inside of it.

"Sir? Um…someone left me this note. I came to find out who and why."

Levi glanced at it, and he rolled his eyes. "I left it, you idiot."

Eren blinked, and he looked at the note again. "Oh. I didn't realize. I think this is the first time I've ever seen your handwriting, Captain Levi."

"Well, now you know." Levi smirked with casual amusement, and he nodded at the door leading into the watchtower. "The others are already inside. Pull yourself together and have a chat."

Even more confused, Eren frowned at the small captain. He didn't question him, though his mind was racing. He opened the door and went in, leaving his guardian outside. "Hello?" he called, seeing the flicker of torchlight up the spiraled staircase.

"Eren, up here!"

It was Mikasa's voice. The tension eased from Eren's body, and he hurried up the steps to join her. He halted once he reached the top upon seeing Jean sitting cross-legged a few feet away from Mikasa. Eren blushed as the alpha male's eyes met his, and he averted his gaze.

"What the hell is _he_ doing here?"

"We both got a note saying to come," Mikasa said before Jean could respond. She glanced at Jean, and her expression hardened a little. To his credit, Jean looked faintly ashamed, though only briefly.

"Hey, I almost didn't show up. I don't know what the hell's going on either," muttered Jean.

"Captain Levi wrote those notes," Eren informed. He went to Mikasa's side and he sat down on the wooden plank floor. "You just stay over there, horse face. Don't even think of touching me."

"Hah! Like I would!" Jean snapped, glaring at the omega. "That moment was just a fluke, you maniac. Don't flatter yourself."

"All right, drop it," warned Mikasa seriously, looking between the two males. "Obviously the captain lured us all here for a reason, and I'm sure it wasn't so you two could get into a fight."

Eren had to agree with her logic. Taking into consideration that the three of them were the only atypical types in their age group, he sighed. He combed his fingers through his hair, and he spoke softly. "Guys, I'm confused as hell. I don't know about you, but learning that I'm…different…has me a little fucked up."

"You ought to be used to that by now," Jean reasoned, his long features softening a little. "I mean, being a shifter and all."

Eren shrugged. "That part, I've gotten used to. This is different, though. I feel like everyone looks at me differently, now. They all know, after what happened in the courtyard. Sasha opened a door for me today, for crying out loud!"

"It must be even harder for you," Mikasa said, reaching out to rub Eren's shoulder solicitously. "You already have so much to deal with, Eren. I'm sorry. I'm sure Sasha was just trying to be courteous."

"Yeah, but it made me feel…I don't know…humiliated. Guys open doors for girls, not the other way around. We do it to be gentlemen, right?" He looked at his adopted sister with troubled green eyes. "Now it's like everyone thinks I'm fragile and need help with everything."

"You ain't fragile," Jean confirmed. "People know that, Eren. They just don't know how to act around omegas, and Sasha's a flake anyhow."

"Better not let Connie hear you say that." Eren smirked. "I'm pretty sure he's got a crush on her."

"No kidding." Jean smirked back. "I keep telling the guy to just kiss her, but he's too chickenshit to make a move."

"Let's not waste time gossiping about our friends," Mikasa suggested. "We have bigger concerns."

Eren nodded. "Yeah. So how are you two holding up? It's got to be weird for you also."

"It is." Mikasa put her hands on her knees with a little frown. "I don't know what I would have done if it weren't for Squad Commander Hange. I…had a problem and I was lucky there weren't any other girls in the bathroom when it happened."

"What kind of problem?" Jean regarded her with interest. Perhaps his alpha hormones had provoked him to react the way he did when Eren went into heat, but it was obvious that the young alpha still held a romantic interest in Mikasa.

Mikasa shook her head, her cheeks going pink. "It's too embarrassing, and it's probably not the sort of thing guys want to hear about."

"What, did you get your first period?" Eren blurted thoughtlessly.

"No! That happened three years ago and I'm over it!"

Eren cringed. He'd stepped into the forbidden zone of female puberty. "Sorry. I wasn't trying to be obnoxious, Mikasa. I didn't know."

She sighed. "It's all right. This was something else…something most other girls don't experience. I wish it _had_ been a period, because any other girl around would have just offered me something for it. They'd have been able to sympathize, if that makes sense."

Jean nodded. "Girls tend to stick together a lot. I get it."

"Hell, they even go to the toilet together," Eren observed. "Hey Mikasa, why do you all do that, anyway?"

"I don't go to the toilet with anyone else," she said with a frown. "I've never understood that either. I don't need a friend to hold my hand while I piss."

Jean burst into laughter. "You think that's what they do? I've kind of wondered myself, but I'm not stupid enough to ask…unlike some guys."

"Shut up," Eren muttered, flushing. "It's a valid fucking question all right? Even Armin wonders about it. He said so just yesterday."

"Okay, let's change the subject," Mikasa insisted. "I don't want to talk about why some women need to travel in groups to the bathroom. What about training? Have either of you started on yours?"

Eren shook his head. "So far, my schedule is still mostly focused on training my shifter abilities and regular combat training. I think Captain Levi is still outlining the plan for whatever special training he wants to give me."

"Commander Erwin's been taking me aside to give me extra training when he can," Jean admitted. "He says he'll have Squad Commander Mike take over for him when his schedule's too full to do it himself."

Eren felt a bitter stir of jealousy. He shook it off with a frown, feeling foolish for it. Of course Erwin would take a personal interest in Jean's additional training. He was one of the only two adult alpha males in the squad. It made sense for him to invest some personal time in Jean's training.

"What about you, Mikasa?" Eren looked at the girl curiously, trying to take his mind off the idea of Erwin and Jean wrestling together.

"Hange's given me a book to read, but she really hasn't had enough spare time to do any hands-on training with me." Mikasa shrugged. "She said I could do some of my alpha training with Jean, since the concepts are the same between males and females."

Eren sighed. So Jean and Mikasa got to do their special training together, and he—as always—was stuck doing everything solitary. It just didn't seem fair. He hardly even had a social life with his age group, these days. Most of his time when not doing chores was spent with Levi and Hange, and while he loved and admired them both, he was starting to feel a bit alienated from his friends.

But maybe that was why Captain Levi set this little meeting up in the first place.

* * *

Hange approached Levi, and she leaned against the wall beside him, slipping her hands into her jacket pockets. "How is it going in there so far, tiny captain?"

Levi shrugged, and he looked up at the crescent moon. "There was some shouting, but it settled down fast."

"Good." Hange smiled at him, and she reached out to lay a supportive hand on his shoulder. "I'm proud of you, Levi. You put those kids' needs before your own misgivings."

"Hmph. If he lays a finger on him—"

"He won't," Hange interrupted with certainty. "Not while Mikasa's there, anyway. You need to let it go, sweetheart. You said yourself that Jean wasn't entirely responsible for his body's reactions to Eren's heat. I know it sounds like an excuse, but keep in mind that Jean's still just a boy and he hasn't learned how to handle his hormones yet."

"You don't get it." Levi looked at her with a frown. "Omegas can't _afford_ for an alpha to be at the mercy of pheromones. Right; you can't help how your body reacts, and I get that. It's the omega that's going to be in deep shit if things go too far, though. It's the omega that could get stuck having a kid and trying to raise it alone, not the alpha."

"The same holds true for beta females," soothed Hange. "I _do_ understand your concerns though, Levi. Of all people, I at least understand that."

Levi lowered his gaze in thought, and he nodded. Yes, Hange understood. The curse of being an omega was what had drawn them together, after all. She'd protected him when he was most vulnerable, seen to his needs selflessly. She was working on a birth control formula specifically for omega males, in fact. He looked up at her again, and he offered her a weak little facsimile of a smile.

"You're really going to wear yourself the fuck out, shitty glasses. You should have told Erwin to fuck off when he asked you to start testing contraceptive measures on Eren."

She blew a sigh. "No kidding. It's for the boy's own good, though. If he misses a dose of his suppressants and has another heat, he could end up in real trouble. He doesn't need to wind up pregnant on top of everything else! I just feel so sorry for the kid. He's already a lab rat."

"Eren can handle it. He's used to it by now." Reminded of the subject of experimental formulas, Levi considered his mate thoughtfully. He'd said they would talk upon returning to the keep, but they hadn't had the chance to, yet. Hange was going to have to return to the next district over sometime soon and resume her experiments with Sawney and Bean. They would once again be separated until their schedules either allowed him to visit her or vice-versa.

"Hey, I've been meaning to talk to you about something," Levi murmured.

"Oh? What is it, darling?" Hange regarded him curiously.

"The suppressants. They haven't made me sick lately. I think I can keep taking them."

She smiled with obvious relief. "That's wonderful, Levi. Maybe other things will level out as well, over time. We're getting closer to our goal!"

"Maybe a little closer than you think." Levi met her gaze with hooded eyes, hoping he wasn't jumping to premature conclusions.

Hange stared at him, and he could practically hear the gears turning in her head. "Levi, does that mean what I think it means?"

"I don't know for sure yet," he admitted, "but today during Eren's shifter training, I'm pretty sure I felt a hint of life in my cock when I looked at you. I didn't spring a woody, but there was a tingle."

Hange's eyes widened slightly, and the hope behind them was almost painful to observe. She took Levi's hands in hers and she started tugging him away from the watchtower. "Let's explore this, shall we?"

"Now wait a minute," advised Levi, resisting. "I'm not making any promises, all right? I don't want you getting your hopes up."

"Ackerman, if we don't at least try, we won't know," she reasoned. "To your quarters now, mister!"

"But Eren…" Levi felt that stir again, and resisting his mate was more difficult than expected. God, he wanted to fuck. He'd been standing out there for the past half hour with good reason, though.

"Eren's got Mikasa with him," reminded Hange. "He'll be fine. You and I have to take a little time for ourselves once in a while!"

She yanked Levi into her embrace, and her lips descended to his. The moment her tongue slid into his mouth, that stirring Levi had felt became a throb. His groin hesitantly started to firm up in his pants, and he gasped.

"Shit," he muttered against her lips.

"Come on, love," Hange purred, evidently sensing his arousal. "I think our dry period may be at its end."

* * *

Indeed, Hange's prediction appeared to be right on the money. She got her grumpy lover into his quarters, shoved him against the wall and kissed him hungrily. Levi's response was quite favorable, and as Hange nibbled at his lower lip, she heard the subtle groan vibrating in his throat. Yes, he was reacting in a good way. He wasn't just kissing her back for the sake of doing it; he was getting into it. She slid her hand down his chest and stomach, and she cupped him between the legs. Levi rubbed against her, rocking his pelvis instinctively. She could feel him firming up against her palm, and she massaged his package coaxingly.

"Hello there, captain junior," Hange whispered with a smile. She'd tried so hard to be patient, to avoid putting pressure on Levi. She wanted him so bad, though, and it seemed she was finally going to get what she'd been waiting for. She put her free arm around him and she guided him toward the bed. "One step at a time, Levi. It's okay."

"You aren't just taking one step," he stated huskily. His breath caught as they sat down together and she continued fondling his crotch. The swelling subtly increased, and Hange began to work his pants open.

"I admit I'm a little impatient right now," she murmured. "It's been some time, grump."

"Yeah, it has," he agreed. He looked away, flushing. "Just…don't expect immediate results."

Hange liberated Levi's groin from his pants, and she stared down at the half-stiffened length of his cock. "I'm a scientist. I never expect immediate results. Oh, look at how _cute_ he is! I haven't had the opportunity to play with junior for a while."

"Don't call it cute," objected Levi. He halted whatever he'd planned to say next when Hange curled her fingers around his dick and started slowly stroking it. His eyes closed and his breath quickened.

Hange smirked, now watching the expressions of pleasure flit over her omega's face as she massaged his exposed cock. "But it _is_ cute to me, Levi. Especially when it's saluting."

"Tch…mmm…"

She nearly laughed at his failed attempt to be irritated while getting a hand-job. Everything about her surly lover was cute, to Hange. She nibbled his ear, squeezing firmly as she pumped her hand on him. The shaft firmed up more under her attentive care, and Hange pushed him down on the bedding, urging him to lie back. He opened his eyes to gaze up at her, pupils expanding with sexual desire. This definitely wasn't a tease. He was without a doubt turned on, and he was getting more aroused by the second.

"Levi," Hange sighed, circling the tip of his cock with the pad of her thumb. A drop of fluid emerged, and he tensed with a groan. She kept rubbing the spot, holding his length in her stilled hand as she teased the sensitive glans. A shudder went through him, and he swelled to full mast. Hange was faintly surprised and a little disappointed that she wasn't' springing a lady boner by now. She'd had the notion of fucking him good and hard to celebrate the return of his libido, but Hange wasn't a picky sort. Either way, she was getting some loving from her tiny captain, and that was plenty good enough for her.

* * *

"Oh shit…Levi!"

Her cries spurred him on to greater heights of lust, and Levi kept slamming into Hange with vigor. He was doing his damndest to make up for lost time, expressing himself in the only way he knew to do so. His body was his instrument of such expression, and he traced her parted, gasping lips with the tip of his tongue. It felt so fucking good to be inside of her. He didn't know how they'd managed to go for so long without. Maddening…intoxicating. Levi squeezed one of his mate's small, pert breasts before kissing a path down to it. Her ankles crossed over each other at the small of his back, and she arched in delight as he closed his lips around a dusky nipple.

"Louder," he demanded, pausing his sucking to speak to her. He entrapped the pebbled flesh again, flicking his tongue against it.

Hange was all too happy to comply with his order, especially when he slipped his hand between their sweaty, writhing bodies to finger her clit. She started screaming his name, and her body tensed in that sweet, telling way that told him she was reaching completion. Her thighs locked around his shifting torso and she curled up beneath him.

"You…marvelous little bastard," Hange groaned, shaking.

Levi switched to the other nipple, smirking around it with satisfaction as her heated, slippery warmth started squeezing his thrusting length spasmodically. Her chewed-on fingernails dug into his back and dragged downwards, leaving jagged red marks. He couldn't have cared less.

"You like that, shit-glasses?" He panted. To be fair, she wasn't wearing her glasses right now. He lifted his head to stare down at her flushed, passionate face and he admired the way she looked in the throes of her orgasm. Even when he couldn't get off on doing it, he loved making her come. He slowed his pumping, his flashing gaze still locked on her face. Hange's eyes fluttered open to meet his, and the gratification he could see in them made Levi feel like a hero.

"Fuck, just look at you," he panted.

She reached up to comb his dark bangs out of his eyes. "I can't. Y-you didn't let me set up…the mirror!"

He'd forgotten about the mirror suggestion. She had him so worked up that her suggestion had gone in one ear and out the other. Levi was getting close, fast. "Later," he promised. He lowered his mouth to hers for a kiss, and he groaned against her lips. "I'm so close…h-hey, stop that…oh, fuck…Hange!"

She had begun to deliberately squeeze him with her inner muscles each time he withdrew, milking his length tactfully. Levi knew it wasn't involuntary muscle spasms due to orgasm. Her climax had faded, and she was doing this on purpose. He bowed his head against her shoulder and he moaned, quickening his thrusts again.

"Come for me, darling," Hange gasped, stroking his tense back. "Give it to me, Levi."

He tried to hold back for a moment longer, wanting to savor the encounter for all it was worth. It had been too long for him, though. He didn't have the fortitude to postpone his release, and Levi cried his mate's name into her ear as it swept through him. Hange stroked his hair encouragingly as he shook over her, giving her every drop he had in him.

"Good boy," sighed the scientist. She kissed his ear and she embraced him tightly. "That was fan-fucking tastic, Levi. God, I needed that."

He was still gasping for breath, and it took him a moment to respond. He lifted his head off her shoulder to look at her. "I thought you said you didn't need sex."

Hange chuckled, and she pinched his nose gently. Levi had come to realize she had some kind of fixation with his nose. "All right, I can go without if I have to, but I don't mind saying I really missed this. You kept me satisfied during our 'dry' spell, but…well, there's nothing quite like mating. Don't you agree?"

Levi had to concur with that observation. There was an incredible intimacy in joining their bodies this way, whether he was inside of her or she was inside of him. He nodded slowly, and he reached between her thighs to gently fondle her clit again. He was still inside of her, softening from his release.

"I missed it," he whispered. He watched her face as he rubbed her clit in a circular motion. "So you got off, right? You weren't faking it on me, were you?"

"I would never fake it," promised Hange with a smile. She undulated beneath him, humming with pleasure. "There's not a need for me to do that. You don't need to worry every time I don't get a lady boner, darling."

"I know," he said, relaxing. It was hard for him to fully grasp the concept, though. Hange's biology was unique, and he was still trying to gain a full understanding of it. Levi also liked seeing her clit enlarge. He found it fascinating, though he did understand it wasn't always going to happen.

"You really are a considerate man," Hange whispered, kissing him softly. "You're always so focused on my needs, Levi. If I didn't know any better, I might think you were insecure…but that isn't who you are."

"Nope," He agreed. He nuzzled her temple and he sighed, easing out of her to roll onto his side. "It's not insecurity. It's just me being anal retentive. I don't half-step."

"No, you don't half-step," Hange agreed with a smirk. "Not in anything you do. I feel like a hell of a lucky woman."

"When my OCD isn't driving you up the wall, right?" Levi traced her tanned hip with his fingertips, closing his eyes to let the afterglow wash over him.

"Sometimes it can be a bit much," Hange chuckled, "but I see it as a tradeoff. You put up with my craziness, after all?"

"Just barely," he sighed. He slipped his hand down again to finger her clit, and he cracked an eye open when he felt it swelling. He looked down to watch it as it began to emerge. "Looks like I woke it up."

Hange bit her lip, her brows furrowing a little in response to his persuasive touch. "Levi, about that mirror…"

He paused. "All right. Go get the damned mirror and set it up."

She kissed the tip of his nose. "Hot damn."

* * *

"I feel really stupid," complained Levi.

He was lying on his stomach, facing the full-length mirror that Hange had moved from the corner of the room to the foot of the bed. Hange smiled at him through the reflection, unsurprised by his opinion. "Don't be self-conscious, love. It's just a reflection, not an audience."

She was stroking her length, keeping it stimulated to prevent it from retracting again. Levi had wanted to do it, but she convinced him to prop a pillow under his hips and lay in a position that didn't really allow for it. She stroked the fingers of her free hand between his butt cheeks, smoothing the slick that he'd produced over his flesh. Hange had been mildly surprised to get an erection after their first encounter; she'd been convinced it wasn't going to happen. Levi, however, managed to make her body do surprising things without even trying.

"Mmm, you're so tight," Hange purred, easing a finger into him.

Levi shuddered, his brows pinching a bit in response to the penetration. "Feels like it's been ages since you were inside me last."

Hange slowly pumped her finger, and she watched him through the mirror. "Open your eyes, darling. Look at yourself. I want you to see the expression on your face right now."

Compelled by the alpha influence she had over him, Levi obeyed. His fair cheeks flushed pink with embarrassment and lust as he watched his reflection. Hange kept finger-fucking him, growing more excited by the moment. Damn, was she ever going to give it to him good. As sensual as he looked right now, she knew he was going to be twice as sexy once she was deep inside of him.

"You almost make me want to stop taking suppressants," she sighed. "I'd love to fuck you every night with my own flesh, Levi. I'm just afraid I might go into a rut all too easily, and then I might hurt you."

"I'm not…breakable," he moaned. He wet his lips with his tongue, his eyes slitting further as sexual pleasure surpassed his modesty. "You should try it sometime…see how it goes. Nobody's ordered _you_ to stay on suppressants, right?"

"You're sincerely tempting me," she warned.

It was a real fear of hers, though. Hange's ruts weren't anything to take lightly. She didn't want to think about that right now, though. She wanted to focus only on her mate. Levi gave another moan as she slipped a second finger into him. It wasn't really necessary; he was already dilating naturally as his arousal increased. That was the beautiful thing about omega males. She left nothing to chance, though, and she kept fingering him until he felt loose enough to accept her length. She kissed his shoulder, and she pushed his thighs apart as she settled on top of him.

"Relax for me handsome," Hange murmured, lining herself up. She met his gaze through the mirror as she nudged into him. She saw the tension in her own face in response to the sensation of his tight little ass sheathing her. That surprised her a bit. She hadn't thought of how _she_ looked during sex. At least she wasn't making a stupid face. Levi's mouth parted, and a flush immediately stole through his cheeks. Hange grabbed a handful of his hair and she tugged—not too roughly, but just enough to keep him from lowering his head. Levi swallowed, baring his throat as she urged his head back.

"Look," commanded Hange, withdrawing slowly to the tip. She pumped again, and she kissed the shell of the omega's ear. "See how sexy you are, Levi? Fuck, look at that expression."

Perhaps he didn't share her amazement over his own facial expressions, but he complied with her instructions regardless. Hange loosened her hold on his hair, massaging his scalp with her fingers. She pumped again…and again after that. His breath caught and another moan rumbled in his throat. She echoed it, and she slid her fingers out of his hair to cup his jaw. She sharpened her thrusts and adjusted the angle of them until she felt him jerk, heard him cry out. There. That was what she was after.

"Good boy," husked the scientist. "That's the magic spot. Do you want more?" She paused, sinking in to the hilt and holding steady within him as she awaited his response.

"Fucking lunatic," panted Levi in protest. "Don't…stop!"

"Hmm, that's not quite the answer I was looking for, but I'll take it."

She could have teased him some more until he properly begged her to keep going, but Levi was a stubborn little thing, and it would have taken longer to get that reaction than Hange was prepared to wait. Worried that she could lose her lady bonder before she could finish, the alpha resumed her thrusting. Just watching Levi's reactions through the mirror was enough to send little thrills through her, and before Hange knew it, she was coming.

"Oh shit," she wheezed, biting down briefly on Levi's shoulder. "I…wasn't expecting to come so fast!"

Desperate to get him off too before her clit retreated, Hange slipped her hand under her lover's hips. "Lift up, sweetheart. H-hurry."

He did so, and Hange started stroking him off rapidly. She pounded into him, taking him hard and fast the way he always liked it when he was in heat. It had the desired effect. He started cursing and shaking from the rough nudges against his prostate and the stimulation. Thankfully, he twitched in her pumping hand within moments and she saw his orgasm face through the reflection.

"Now, Levi," she groaned. "Look at yourself again. I want you to see this!"

Caught up in the pleasure of climax, he didn't question her. He stared at himself, wearing that open expression of surrender and ecstasy that Hange found so captivating. Confusion sparked in his dazed gray eyes, and she picked up on it through the bond they shared. He didn't recognize himself like this.

"You see?" Hange rasped. Her orgasm was tapering off, but she kept thrusting until her clit shrank and retreated. Once that happened, she simply kept her loins pressed intimately against his bottom, gyrating her hips slowly. "And you wonder…why I'm so in love with you."

Levi dropped his head, panting softly in the aftermath. Hange didn't try to make him look in the mirror again; he'd seen what she'd been wanting him to see. She kissed his shoulder and she released his sated cock.

"You are one determined bitch," Levi stated between gasps. "That was fucking weird."

"Don't you mean 'great'?" Hange smiled, not taking offence because she knew he meant watching himself was weird, not the intercourse. She couldn't resist teasing him a little, though.

"Yeah, the sex was great," he concurred, evidently believing she misunderstood. "I'm talking about staring at my reflection. What a stupid look I get on my face when I'm coming."

"It's not a stupid look," she said with passion. "Don't say that! I think you look gorgeous when you orgasm, Levi. I'm sure anyone else except you would agree with me."

He rolled over onto his back, looking up at her with a contented sigh. "If you say so. I'm glad you like the face I make so much instead of laughing at it."

Hange pinched his chin. "I could never laugh at a face like that. Thank you for going along with it, grump."

Levi shrugged. "Don't mention it. Shit, I'm in the wet spot." He grunted and squirmed over a little.

"I'll go and get a towel," Hange offered.

Levi shook his head and closed his eyes. "Don't worry about it right now. I can just change the bedding in the morning. I'd rather you just lay here with me. Just avoid the spot where I came."

Hange laughed softly, but she was touched. It wasn't common for Levi to basically ask her for snuggles. He was so damned cute. "Well then, maybe we should turn around and sleep right-side-up."

"Yeah."

Levi covered up a yawn, and he did as she suggested, dropping the pillow he'd had under his hips back at the head of the bed. Hange joined him, laying her head on his chest with a happy little sigh. His arms went around her, and he nuzzled her hair. She smiled sleepily, again touched by the affection he was giving her. Nobody would believe what a sweetheart Levi could be when he wanted to. That part of him was Hange's alone to savor.

* * *

-To be continued

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Silly chapter recap:
> 
> Eren: "I'm a pervert."
> 
> Hange: "What was that, love?"
> 
> Eren: "NOTHING!"
> 
> Erwin: "I charmed them into doing things my way."
> 
> Eren: *Crushes some more*
> 
> Levi: "I slipped you that note, dumbass."
> 
> Eren: "Oh. Hey, what the hell is rape-face doing here?"
> 
> Jean: "I wouldn't touch you with a borrowed dick, Jaeger. Get over yourself."
> 
> Mikasa: "Both of you, either fuck and get it out of your systems or shut up."
> 
> Levi: "Speaking of fucking…"
> 
> Hange: "OMG come here now, you adorable little asshole!"
> 
> Levi: "Holy shit, you weren't kidding about the mirror…"


	9. Chapter 9

_~I'm not looking. I'm not looking. I'mnotlookingI'mnotlooking…~_

He _was_ looking, though. Eren couldn't help it. He stared at the commander as Erwin dipped the ladle into the water barrel placed in the training area specifically for sparring and practicing scouts to cool off with. He watched as the tall, blond alpha poured the scoopful of liquid over his head, and he watched as the tiny rivulets dripped down the man's muscular chest and torso. Eren's breath caught as the sun came out of hiding from behind a cloud, casting a beam upon Erwin that made the commander look absolutely heroic and god-like.

"Fuck," whispered Eren, blinking with wide eyes at the spectacle.

"Jaeger."

Eren jumped and squeaked at the low, familiar voice coming from behind him. He whirled and he saluted so hard he was surprised his fist didn't go right through his ribcage. "Captain Levi, sir!"

Levi's expression was blank, as always. He jerked his chin in the opposite direction of Erwin, and he spoke flatly. "Come with me."

Eren gulped and nodded. He followed his superior, and he tried with all his might to resist the urge to look over his shoulder at Erwin's bare-chested form. It was no good. He found himself staring again, and he nearly ran over Levi when the smaller man came to a halt.

"S-sorry, sir!" Eren collected himself with a blushing face, steadying his balance.

"Calm down," Levi ordered softly. "I think it's time you and I had a talk."

The phrase "Calm down" followed by "I think it's time we had a talk" had the exact opposite effect on Eren. His pulse started racing with the sense of impending doom, and he impulsively started looking around for an escape route.

"Stop looking so fucking panicked," advised the captain. "You didn't do anything wrong."

Eren regarded the older omega warily. "Yes sir."

Levi propped back against the courtyard wall, and he crossed his ankles over one another. "Something you need to get off your chest, Eren?"

The shifter started to deny it, but then he took a deep breath, closing his eyes. "I have a huge crush on Commander Erwin," he blurted in a rush. He opened one eye and he looked at Levi timidly, expecting the man to pop him on the head, berate him or otherwise react in a negative way.

Instead, Levi heaved a soft sigh and lowered his head. "No shit. I've noticed."

Eren wanted to crawl into a hole. "I was that obvious, sir?"

Levi shrugged. "Not to most. You don't have to worry about Erwin picking up on it right away. He's so damned busy it flew right over his head. That's a rare thing, though, so it's only a matter of time."

Eren covered his face with his hands. "Shit," he muttered into them.

"Hey, Eren."

The younger omega peeked through his fingers at his guardian. "Sir?"

"Plenty of people crush on Erwin. Particularly omegas." Levi's cool gaze met the shifter's frankly. "The bastard's handsome as fuck and he's got an aura of command that draws people to him. Don't feel bad for finding him attractive."

Eren's face heated further, and he lowered his gaze. "Did… _you_ …ever have a crush on him, Captain?"

Levi nodded once in affirmation. "Absolutely. How in the hell do you think he convinced me not to kill him and join the scouts permanently? I had him in the palm of my hand, Eren. I could have sliced his head off. He's persuasive as hell, but in the moment, I don't think even Erwin's silver tongue could have saved him if it weren't for me reacting to his alpha pheromones."

Levi pushed away from the wall, grabbed the back of Eren's hair and pulled him close to mutter into his ear. "You do _not_ repeat that personal information to anyone. Is that understood, brat?"

"O-of course, Captain Levi," stammered Eren. It was difficult for him to imagine Levi having a crush on _anyone_ , let alone the commander whom he answered too. Levi always seemed so…in synch with the man. He and Erwin had a relationship that Eren couldn't fully understand. Levi was Erwin's underling, and yet the commander seemed to respect and rely on his captain more than anyone…even perhaps Squad Commander Mike. Knowing that Levi was an omega like himself only multiplied Eren's admiration of that relationship.

"May I ask you something personal, sir?" Levi had released his hold on him, and Eren rubbed the back of his head impulsively.

"At your own risk," Levi answered tonelessly.

Eren took a deep breath before speaking, fully expecting a kick in the gut or the head. "Have you and the commander ever been…er…you know…"

"You mean have we ever fucked?" Levi smirked, pulling away a bit. He shook his head. "No. I controlled my reactions to him, and he never took advantage. As you probably know, Hange's my alpha now."

Levi's gaze intensified, and the shadows of the trees drifted over his pale visage at that moment, making him seem even more mysterious. "Eren, as an omega, you're going to find yourself reacting to alphas in ways that don't make a lot of sense. Even Jean. You've already seen as much for yourself."

Eren gritted his teeth. "Don't remind me," he growled. He eased up when Levi raised a brow at him. "Sorry."

"Tch. For what? You aren't into the guy and that's my point. There's a good reason for suppressants, kid. You're just lucky the first prescription you tried worked so well on you."

Eren looked between the captain and the ground, unsure of himself. "So what should I do, sir? Even on the suppressants, I can't…I mean I still feel funny when I look at Commander Erwin."

"You can't do anything about that," sighed the captain. "How you feel is how you feel, and for a young guy in your position with a guy like Erwin in an authoritative position, I've got to agree with Hange: you could have picked worse targets for your first crush."

Eren grimaced. "You and Hange talked about this? So she knows too?"

"Yeah, and we talked extensively." Levi looked away. "To be honest with you, I was ready to cut Erwin's balls off. Hange talked some sense into me. It isn't his fault. He might seem like a cold bastard, but he's a…gentleman. He'd never fuck with you, even if you were in a heat spike and he went into a rut because of it. The commander has too much self-control and dignity to let that happen."

Eren smiled without realizing it. "Yeah, he's got class."

Levi's gaze met his, glinting in the afternoon light. "Easy, shit-face. Don't get all starry-eyed like that. I said it's natural to have a crush, and I encourage that. Don't let it stomp on your brain, though. Eren, you need to be in control of your body, not the other way around. You can't stop natural reactions, but you _can_ use your head. Don't let it rule you."

Eren bit his lip. "I think I get it. So you don't think the commander's noticed my crush yet?"

Levi huffed. "Heh. Keep it up and he will. Lately he's been too distracted…ironically with trying to keep your ass in the scouts and in our custody. He's not at his best."

Levi's calmness faltered a little, and he reached out a hand to squeeze Eren's shoulder. "This is why it's so important for you to learn to box up your omega reactions to alphas. Not everyone is going to be as chivalrous as Erwin. Kirstein's just a kid like yourself, and he couldn't really help how his body responded to your heat. Adult alphas like Erwin and Mike, though…not even they can be trusted. Even as in control as they seem, even they can get overwhelmed with enough exposure to omega heat pheromones."

Eren realized then that his questioning about whether he could go to Erwin if he ever had a problem was probably what had provoked this line of discussion. "I…understand, sir. I'll try to be careful. What about Mikasa? Should I worry about her, too?"

"Mikasa's fine," Levi assured him, "and not just because the two of you are so close. Unlike her male counterparts, she's on working suppressants. She isn't likely to react strongly if you have a heat and she's around. In fact, I'd prefer that she's near if it should happen. I'm sure she would cut down any other alphas that try to come near you in that situation."

Eren smiled and nodded. "She would. I think that's the first time you've ever paid her a compliment, Captain."

Levi shrugged. "Someone of her talents doesn't need ego stroking. What she needs is discipline, not cockiness. Give her too many props and she might get careless, believing she's invincible. Take it from someone who knows, kid."

Eren blinked at the older man. It hadn't occurred to him that complimenting a good soldier's skills could lead to something detrimental. He'd always thought encouragement was a good thing. Maybe Levi's philosophy wasn't wrong, and that was why he so rarely complimented anyone. He wanted them all to stay alive, so he was more of a critical man that pointed out what he saw people doing wrong. Eren was starting to understand Levi better, he thought.

"Sir, can I ask…that is, what do you think of _my_ performance? Not as a titan, but as a scout?"

Levi considered him mutely, staring at him for so long that Eren started shifting nervously from foot to foot. Finally, the captain spoke. "You've got bigger balls than most, Jaeger. I'll give you props for that. Your technique is sloppy, though. Maybe you didn't piss or shit yourself on your first expedition like most of your peers, but it takes more than guts to survive titan encounters. Work on that. We can't afford to lose you to a careless mistake, so pull it together."

Eren bit his lip. Well, he'd asked. He couldn't get upset over getting a straight answer from the man.

* * *

Erwin was just finishing with some paperwork when his office door flew open with a bang. Understandably startled, the commander looked up to see his Special Operations captain striding in. Erwin relaxed, used to Levi's abrupt, unannounced intrusions. "How can I help you today, Levi?"

Levi stopped before the alpha's desk, staring him down like a titan he was about to slice into. Anyone else would have cowered under that cold, steely glare, but Erwin regarded him calmly. "Well?"

"You can help me by staying the hell away from Eren Jaeger," stated Levi flatly.

Erwin's brows briefly furrowed, then smoothed. "Is this about my coming down to his cell to speak with him during his heat?"

"Partly." Levi shrugged. "I'm just warning you, sir. Keep your distance."

"Levi, I can't exactly comply with that, seeing as he is a soldier under my command. Why don't you tell me—"

"Just remember that," interrupted Levi coldly, narrowing his eyes. "You're his superior, and you have influence over him in more ways than one. Keep it in mind when interacting with him, and don't fucking abuse it or it's your ass…sir."

Erwin's jaw dropped slightly, and he stared at Levi as the unpredictable little man turned and walked out without another word, slamming the door behind him disrespectfully. Erwin finally found his tongue, but Levi wasn't there any longer to hear it.

"What in the name of the walls has gotten _into_ you, Ackerman?"

* * *

Hange was eager to see her mate again. She'd been away researching her titan subjects for nearly a week, and she fully supported the saying: "Absence makes the heart grow fonder". She hadn't been prepared for just how strong the bond was between mated couples. It felt like she was missing a part of herself the entire time she'd been away, and she urged her horse to greater speeds as the scout's keep came into view. The heart wasn't the only thing that grew fonder in absence. Her loins ached with need, and she found it less satisfying than it used to be to take care of herself.

"Yah! Faster, Gypsy! I've got a tiny, angry captain to molest!"

The chocolate mare followed her mistress's directive and put in an extra burst of speed, as if understanding Hange's urgency. The two scouts stationed at the gate as guards hastily pulled them open when the saw and recognized the squad commander. They saluted Hange in passing, their hair and cloaks stirred by the breeze from her inertia. Hange heard one of them welcome her back respectfully, but her mind was completely focused on seeing Levi again.

Hange pulled her mount to a halt when she saw Armin Arlert, and the horse reared back impressively. "Hi there, Armin! Where might our captain be?"

The blond boy looked up at her with startled blue eyes. "Commander Hange! Welcome back. Can I take care of your horse for you?"

Hange dismounted with a nod. "That would be lovely, my dear. Now, about Levi…have you seen him?"

Armin took Gypsy's reins, and he considered the question. "Well, the last time I saw him, he was out by the old well in the field. He said not to disturb him, so—"

"Oh, I'm sure he'll make an exception for me." Hange waved a negligent hand, and she adjusted her cloak. "Thanks, Armin!"

"Sure." The blond watched her start sprinting away, and he smiled a little.

Hange didn't notice the young man's knowing smile. Unlike Levi, she wasn't particularly subtle about revealing her affection in public. He was her mate and that was that. She didn't see the need in concealing it or holding back in front of others. She ran like the wind, panting softly as her booted feet carried her to her love. She could sense him, and as she hopped the fence into the field behind the keep, she started to smell his scent on the breeze. She saw him up ahead, standing at the well just as Armin said. His head was bowed as if in thought, and Hange could sense frustration in him. She had no idea what the cause of it was this time, but she liked to think it was at least partly due to her absence. She was about to fix that.

"Leviii!" Hange called his name wildly as she closed the distance, and he turned to look at her, his sleepy gaze widening slightly. She could understand the alarm in those gray eyes, because she was charging at him like she intended to tackle him. She saw him brace himself, and she laughed as she skidded to a stop and caught him up in a tight hug.

"Oh, I missed you so," Hange told him between amorous little smooches. "Tell me you missed me too, shorty!"

"Sure, if you'll give me the chance to breath," wheezed Levi. "You're crushing my ribs, four eyes!"

"Ah, sorry." Hange loosened her hold on him, and she planted one more kiss on the tip of his nose. "I know, I'm getting dirt on you, too. I was too eager to see you to take a bath first."

"That's all right." Levi gazed at her with a flash of affection in his eyes. "You look good for a dirty grub."

She smiled, and she stroked his shiny, black hair. "Coming from you, that's a declaration of love. Thank you, sweetheart."

Levi shrugged. "Don't mention it."

His tone of casualty belied the feeling of gratitude she was getting from him. He was so much easier to read, now that they were pair-bonded. Hange kind of felt sorry for other people that lacked that perk, because she knew that Levi was as closed with his emotions as Erwin, and just about as difficult to predict.

"So, can I have a _real_ kiss now?" she asked, feeling suddenly shy. The picture she had of him standing with her and the other commanding officers just didn't do justice to the sight of him in the flesh.

Levi didn't say anything with words; instead he grabbed her ponytail with a light tug, and he pulled her head down to his for a deep, unhurried kiss. Hange's stomach did a little flip, and her tongue fenced with his. She lost her head for a second, and she lifted him off his feet. She was immediately reminded that Levi was heavier than he looked, and she grunted.

"Easy," mumbled Levi, breaking the kiss. He smirked at her. "You're gonna throw your back out, shitty glasses."

"Yeah, I got carried away," laughed Hange. She released him, and she stepped back to look him over with a sigh. "I swear you get more handsome every time I see you after being away. I just wish your scent wasn't muted by that spritz. I could still pick up on it, but I had to get in pretty close and I think I only detected it because I'm mated to you."

"I could stop wearing it, but that might distract the alphas in our squad."

Levi looked away with an angry, pensive frown all the sudden. Hange cupped his chin. "Hey, look at me."

He obeyed, and she frowned as well, sobered by the throb of anger and frustration she'd sensed from him. "What's happened while I was gone, grump? What has you putting on such a sour puss? Talk to me."

"Erwin," sighed Levi.

Hange raised a brow. "Again? I should have known. You know Levi, if I didn't know any better I would think _you_ were the one with a crush on Commander Handsome."

"Good thing you know better," he grumbled.

She kissed his cheek. "Yes, I know the only dick you want is mine."

"I thought it was a clit." Levi smirked briefly at her. "Hypocrite."

Hange shrugged. "Guilty. Blame it on habit picked up by a certain cutie that can't tell the difference. So, what did Erwin do this time to put you in such a shitty mood?"

Levi's jaw clenched. "He was sparring shirtless in front of Eren, and then the smug bastard poured water all over himself and added insult to injury."

Hange tried to keep a straight face, she really did. Spittle flecked her lips as she lost the battle and sputtered. She slapped a hand over her mouth as her mate glared in irritation, her face going ruddy with the effort to hold laughter in.

"I'm sorry," Hange managed between impulsive snickers. "You…you're mad at…the man for going shirtless in the heat…of the day and…cooling down? L-Levi, that's just silly! Plenty of our male soldiers spar shirtless! Do you expect Erwin to wear ten layers of clothes at all times to avoid giving Eren a woody?"

"Oi, I'm not being unreasonable," he griped, flushing. "I don't expect him to layer up, but he could use some damned tact and not show it off."

Hange tilted her head. "Hmm. Interesting."

"What?" He stepped back and folded his arms over his chest. "What's 'interesting', Zoë? Share."

"Oh, nothing." Hange looked off to the side. "It's just that your logic reminds me of something a rape apologist might say."

Levi's eyes widened. "You comparing me to a rapist, now?"

"Only your logic," corrected Hange gently. "Don't get mad, grump. I just want you to think about what you've just said. As an omega, I'm sure you've seen your share of unwanted advances, and you surely must be familiar with the excuse that it was the victim's fault for being so desirable, or for wearing something provocative, or for not wearing enough."

Levi faltered, and his already fair complexion went a little paler. Hange could see it sink in, and as Levi fully absorbed it, his cheeks bloomed with color. Her poor baby felt ashamed…she could sense it, and she felt terrible for calling him out. She felt it was necessary to show him how ridiculous he was being, though.

"Levi, I know you aren't a rapist or a supporter of excuses for the act. I just think you're so concerned with protecting Eren's virtue that it's blinded you a little. As your partner…your _equal_ and not your superior…I would be neglectful not to point it out. That would be like me letting you walk around with your fly open without telling you because I don't want to embarrass you. Good partners don't let each other behave like jackasses. You tell me all the time when I do something stupid, so why shouldn't I return the favor?"

Levi heaved a deep sigh. "I didn't realize. Fuck, I really am a dick."

She smiled, and she caressed his cheek with a shake of her head. "No. You're a protective guardian, and you _should_ be, considering you and Eren are the only omegas in our regiment. At least you can see and realize that you're being unreasonable."

He averted his gaze with a frown. "It's just…I thought the brat was going to go into heat right there, despite being on suppressants. If you'd seen the way he was looking at that blond titan, you might have felt the same way."

Hange smirked. "Perhaps. I'm inclined to think I'd be more amused than worried, but I can't really empathize with what life is like as an omega. As his mentor and a fellow omega, your reaction was probably completely natural."

"I chewed him out," admitted Levi softly. "I practically kicked Erwin's door in and I threatened him."

Hange's eyes widened, but then she snorted. "You know what? I can't even pretend to be surprised. What was his reaction? Did you at least explain why you were jumping his ass?"

"He was confused, and no, I didn't go into details. I just told him to keep his distance from Eren."

Hange sighed. "Well, if he didn't know the boy has a crush on him before, he probably does now. Did you threaten Mike too, or was it just Erwin?"

Levi winced. "Shit. I guess I'd better threaten Mike to make it less suspicious. I'd rather Erwin think I'm warning _all_ alpha males away than figuring out my main concern is him."

"That would be logical. After all, you've already warned Jean. I think he's going to figure it out eventually no matter what you do though, Levi. I'm a little surprised he hasn't already."

"As I told Eren, he's been buried in paperwork, so his perception isn't quite as sharp as usual." Levi clicked his tongue with self-annoyance. "Tch. Guess I have him enough reason to think on it with my rashness. I wonder what the big guy is gonna do when he works it out."

"Knowing Erwin? Absolutely nothing." Hange smirked. "He's too mannerly and proper."

"He's also an opportunist," reminded Levi, "and you know as well as me how ruthless he can be when he has a goal in mind. Suppose he decides the advantage of making Eren his omega is greater than propriety? He could make the brat do anything he wants. Even I have to admit the influence an alpha has over their mate is no joking matter."

Hange winced. "I really try not to take advantage of that with you, Levi. You know I respect you, right?"

"Yeah, and that's why we're mated." Levi shrugged. "Erwin might not be so generous, understand?"

Hange sighed. "Eren _already_ does whatever Erwin tells him to. You do as well, for that matter. The commander doesn't require a mating bond or alpha influence to get Eren's cooperation with anything, Levi, so try not to worry. Yes, I know that there's a fiend beneath the commander's suave exterior, and I know he's more than willing to let it out when he thinks it's necessary. I really don't think he would harm Eren, though. In case you haven't noticed, he seems genuinely fond of the kid."

"Well, he needs to be more careful. He's throwing fuel on the fire."

"And he doesn't realize it," reminded Hange. "I'm certain Erwin didn't show off his physique to Eren on purpose. You said he doesn't know yet, and even if he did, I think the man would have more class than to deliberately entice a teenager."

"I'd like to think so too, but…" Levi shook his head. "Damn it, I think I should just tell him. You're right; he'll figure it out sooner than later. The more I think of it, the more I feel like sooner is better. I'm just going to have to put my trust in him with this, the way I do with everything else."

"There you go." Hange smiled in approval, glad that her tiny captain came to this conclusion without her suggesting it. She didn't want to influence his decisions overtly, even if she felt obligated to talk sense into him when he was acting irrationally. "At least if you're honest with him about this, he'll know you aren't just being hormonal and crazy."

Levi frowned at the thought. "You think that's how I've been acting?"

Hange looked up and to the right. "Um…just a little."

He sighed, his shoulders slumping.

"Hey, Levi." Hange pinched his chin fondly. "Erwin will understand if you just explain the situation to him. He trusts you with his life, just as you trust him with yours. I'll bet you'll both feel a lot better once this misunderstanding gets cleared up."

"Yeah," agreed Levi. "I just hope you're right about how Erwin's going to handle the information. I hope my trust in him isn't misplaced."

Hange considered her mate's expressed concerns, and she spoke carefully. "Levi, do you really think it would be such a bad thing if Erwin ended up as Eren's alpha?"

Levi stared at her. "Are you kidding?"

She shook her head. "Not at all."

"Okay four eyes, let me spell the shit out for you in a list. Erwin's twice the brat's age. He's his commander. He's got a specific goal and Eren is the key player. Do I need more reasons than that to think it's a shitty idea?"

"Actually, I think so." Hange stroked his hair again, trying to think of how to put what she wanted to say without offending him. "Just let me try to put it into a different perspective for you. Eren stands to gain something from it, if he ever does become Erwin's mate. That something is an alpha's protectiveness of their omega. The commander is already protective of Eren. He's already bent over backwards to keep him under Survey Corps custody and actively in our ranks. Yes, Eren is a tool in this war, but then so are the rest of us. We're all pieces on a chess board—Erwin included. If Erwin doesn't already have good reason to ensure Eren's survival, he'll have double the incentive if they're mated. I can't explain to you just how strong the instinct is, just like you can't explain to me the drives of the omega. Neither of us can relate completely on those matters, but I can assure you that Erwin's ability to put Eren's in harm's way would be compromised if he were his alpha."

Hange shrugged. "Besides, how much does the age gap really matter, in this world we live in? Kids Eren's age are already getting married and having kids, if they aren't enlisted in the military. I hope you aren't under the impression that all of the recruits from the 104th are still virgins."

"Do I look stupid to you?" snapped Levi. "Of course I don't think that. If they're old enough to die in combat, they're old enough to fuck and have a drink."

Hange nodded. "Exactly. So can you see where I'm coming from?"

He growled softly. "Quit that."

"Quit what, dear?"

"Being the voice of reason. I hate it when you do that."

Hange laughed, and she hugged him. "It does seem to be happening a lot lately, doesn't it? Listen, grump, I think it's admirable how diligent you are with Eren's well-being, but I want to help you stay grounded. In reality, there are a lot of 'May/December' relationships out there, and as far as alphas go, I'm sure you'll agree that Eren could do a lot worse than Commander Handsome."

Levi looked like he wanted to protest, but his brows pinched with the effort of finding a decent rebuttal. "Fuck, I hate when you're right. Don't expect me to encourage anything though, and you'd better not let me catch you doing it either."

"I would never do that," promised Hange. "This conversation and the situation it involves are strictly between you and I. Eren is your responsibility, not mine, and I'm going to support whatever you decide to do concerning him. I'm only giving you my opinion. You know I've got your back no matter what, right?"

Levi nodded. "Yeah, I know. Thanks."

* * *

His physical reunion with Hange would have to wait until later. Levi's priority not only as a responsible adult, but as Eren's guardian, was to handle the situation with the shifter and the commander before something got out of hand. He felt more confident about his decision with each step he took towards Erwin's office. He couldn't expect the commander to modify his behavior around Eren if the man wasn't even aware the kid had a crush on him. He'd trusted Erwin Smith for this long, and he'd gone this far with him. He had to trust him on this matter, as well.

Levi stopped outside the commander's office, and he took a steadying breath. With unprecedented manners, he knocked before entering. He waited for Erwin's voice to bid him entry before opening the door and stepping inside. The commander gazed at him with calm, expectant blue eyes as Levi closed the door behind him.

"Let me preface this with an apology for my threat to you earlier," Levi said, more or less contritely. "I should have explained myself and been more respectful. You've led us this far, and as you know, you are the only person in the world I'll take orders from."

Erwin nodded politely. "I see. Apology accepted, captain." The blond alpha smirked. "Now Levi, shall we drop the formalities and speak as equals? I would like to understand what provoked the outburst. I was under the impression that it was simply due to my being an alpha."

"Partly," admitted Levi. "There's more to it than that, though."

Erwin gestured at the two visitor chairs on the other side of his desk. "Please."

Levi had a seat, and he dragged his fingers through his hair. "I'll get straight to the point. You know how I hate to beat around the bush."

"I do."

Levi met the commander's eyes, and he spoke his thoughts matter-of-factly. "Eren Jaeger is infatuated with you."

Levi half-expected Erwin to calmly inform him that he already knew that, but he could see by the alpha's sudden stillness and frozen expression that he really _had_ been ignorant about it. "I assume by that 'hit over the head' look on your face that you didn't see this coming."

Erwin blinked, and he sat back in his chair. "Your assumption would be correct. Are you sure about this, Levi?"

"Positive." Levi's brows lowered. "He admitted as much to me himself this morning, when I noticed him eye-fucking you while you were cooling off. You couldn't have enticed him more if you slathered yourself in chocolate syrup and invited him to lick you off."

"I'm sure you meant 'lick it off me'," corrected Erwin in a mystified tone.

Levi shrugged. "Did I?"

Erwin looked down at the paperwork on his desk blankly as he thought the information over. "So a teenaged recruit is attracted to me. That's interesting."

Levi watched the bigger man warily. "How do you mean?"

Erwin looked at him again, and he spread his hands. "Well, I must admit it's a bit flattering." He smiled crookedly. "Our earlier discussion now makes greater sense to me."

"You're pleased about this," noted Levi.

"No offense intended, Levi, but I think most men would be pleased to find out an attractive young person harbors a crush on them. Surely you don't blame me for that."

Levi compressed his lips briefly. "Tch. I told you this in confidence, because I didn't think you knew and whether intentional or not, you gave him more incentive today with your bare-chested sparring with Mike and subsequent barrel shower."

To his credit, Erwin looked faintly contrite. "Oh. I hadn't realized…well, I certainly didn't do it to tease the boy, if that's your impression."

"I'm sure you didn't," Levi agreed, "but I'm still calling it to your attention and asking you to avoid doing things like that in front of Eren, in the future. That is, unless you plan to take advantage of the kid and get your trophy mate."

Erwin's expression slipped into its usual, stoic mask. "Do you not trust me, Levi?"

The captain faltered a bit, revealing confusion for a bare second in his visage. He looked away. "Of course I do. Without question."

Erwin softened his gaze. There was some sympathy in his voice when he spoke again. "Then you know that I have no desire or use for a 'trophy mate'. I don't think either of us expected to come to care for Jaeger when we recruited him. He's a means to an end, a weapon against our opposition to use for the good of humanity. He is also, however, a human being, and that is an indisputable fact that neither of us could keep ignoring. He laughs, he cries, he bleeds just as we do. Well, minus the laughter and crying."

"Tch, no shit," agreed Levi with a little smirk. "Sometimes I think the shitty brat's more human than we are."

"I won't disagree with that assessment," sighed Erwin. "The price of leading men and women straight into hell and to their deaths is to give up ordinary human emotions."

"No, the price is their blood," Levi corrected with feeling, drawing his brows together. "The way we cope with those deaths isn't the great tragedy, here."

Erwin grimaced slightly. "I was merely pointing out the reason you and I seem cold and distant to others, Levi. I'm not proud of it."

Levi returned Erwin's earlier sympathy, and he nodded. "Yeah, I know. Guess I've just been on edge lately."

"So I've noticed." Erwin collected a small pile of documents, and he stacked them neatly. "How are things with your suppressants, by the way? Have they balanced out for you and are they working as intended, now?"

"Yes to both," answered Levi. "Hopefully I won't need to have the prescription adjusted again anytime soon. Eren and Mikasa's suppressants are working properly as well."

"That's good to know." Erwin placed the stack of documents in the basket labeled "complete" on the left hand side of his desk. "Pity there's no available version of them for male alphas. Mike and I are experienced enough to know how to handle a rut without behaving inappropriately, or at the very least, isolating ourselves when it gets bad. Jean has years to go before familiarizing himself enough with his own body to gain a measure of control in that respect."

"Well, you've been training him, right?" Levi kicked back in his chair, feeling better now that he'd cleared the air and gotten reassurance that Erwin had no intention of taking advantage of Eren.

"Yes, I've been mentoring the boy whenever possible, and Mike has been assisting with that." He smirked. "Unfortunately, Mike has never been much of a tutor. He lacks communication skills, as you know."

Levi shrugged. "Heh. No judgment from me on that. I'd be a hypocrite."

"You lack social graces," Erwin pointed out, "but you have no issue instructing others or speaking your mind. Mike doesn't like to speak at all, which makes it difficult for Jean or anyone else to take pointers from him."

"Hmph. He's just going to have to suck it up and learn to open his trap instead of his nostrils, once in a while."

Erwin chuckled at that. "I agree. He wasn't pleased with me when I ordered him to advise Kirstein on alpha biology whenever I'm not available to do it. He's happy to give him special combat training, but the parts involving verbal explanations are his weak point."

"As long as the brat's getting some mentoring and not being left on his own to figure shit out." Levi shrugged again. "And as long as he keeps his hands off Eren."

Erwin propped his chin in his palm and he suddenly began to study Levi with great interest.

"What?"

The commander shook his head, smiling slightly. "I've just started imagining you with your own children."

"Don't go there," groused Levi with a huff.

"Why not? You've done an impressive job fostering Jaeger. I have no doubt you would physically emasculate any alpha that makes untoward advances on him. I'm sure females would suffer no kinder a fate than the males."

Levi didn't bother denying it. "Just keep that firmly in mind, Erwin."

The commander dropped his hand, and he laughed.

"You think it's funny?" challenged the omega. "You've got a twisted sense of humor."

"No, I take your warning very seriously," Erwin assured him, still smiling. "I just can't escape the mental picture of you saying the same to anyone that ever attempted to date any of your female or omega offspring, were you to have any. Boys and alphas wouldn't stand a chance against a father like you."

"Well, you can stop imagining it," advised Levi. "Kids aren't in my future, so it's pointless to speculate."

"Just because we're soldiers destined to meet our end in the fight for humanity doesn't mean that we can't dream of what a better future would be like." Erwin sobered, and he lowered his gaze. "Sometimes I still daydream about what it might have been like, had I chosen Marie over my military career. Would our sons and daughters have her red hair and my eyes? I still think of these things now and then."

"So, men like you can still dream."

Erwin nodded. "Unfortunately, yes."

"Are you still in love with her?" Levi tilted his head curiously. Maybe he shouldn't worry about Erwin coming on to Eren at all. He knew Erwin swung both ways, but he'd really been into that woman. He'd been morose for a good three months after breaking things off with her.

"No." The commander shook his head, dashing Levi's hopes that he was still too hung up on Marie to even consider looking at Eren sexually. "I still love the idea of what we had. I'm in love with a dream of things that could never be. I let Marie go long ago, however. She's better off for it, and so am I."

"Huh. If you say so." Levi got up, and he stretched. "I'd better check on dinner preparations and make sure the scouts assigned to preparing the meal aren't burning the fucking kitchen down. I put Springer and Gunther on it, and neither of those two have much culinary talent."

"Why assign them to the same cooking shift together, then?" Erwin smirked. "Setting them up for failure, perhaps?"

Levi sighed, and he checked the clock. "No, I just wasn't using my head. Usually I team up the suck cooks with someone with at least marginal skills so we don't all end up with food poisoning. Should have put Blouse on it with Springer, but I had my mind on other things when I wrote up the roster."

"I see. Have I at least put your mind at ease concerning Jaeger?"

"As much as you can, yes," replied Levi. He did believe that Erwin would do his best to be honorable, but he recalled how the commander had reacted to his own heat the day he discovered the truth about him and visited him in the hospital. Not even a man of Smith's discipline could completely ignore his alpha reactions, nor could he stop them. Erwin was simply better than most at not allowing them to rule him.

* * *

"Well, how did it go?" Hange whispered into Levi's ear when they met up in the mess hall for dinner.

Levi collected a bread roll from the basket set out, and he frowned at it. "This thing's as hard as a rock. I could knock someone out with it if I threw it at their head."

"Yes, the baking job was done poorly," Hange said, smirking at his diversion. "So soak it in the stew to soften it a bit. How did your meeting with Erwin go?"

Levi sighed, and he scooped up some gravy from the pot next to the bread rolls. "Not bad. He really didn't know what was going on with the kid until I clarified it for him. He seemed pretty understanding about it and he says he has no intentions toward the brat. We bullshitted for a bit after that, and then I came down here to make sure the kitchen wasn't on fire."

Hange laughed, and she banged her dinner roll thoughtfully against the side of her stew bowl. "Wow, these mothers really _are_ hard! That's some talent. Well Levi, I'm glad you cleared things up with the commander. You needed to get it out and I think you made the right call talking to him about it."

"We can hope."

Levi noticed Eren coming up to the chow line, and he shushed his mate from speaking further on the matter with a meaningful nod at the shifter. Hange nodded in understanding, saying no more. As they sat down at one of the tables to eat their meal—or attempt to—Levi covertly watched Eren. Armin was with him, and the two friends were chatting softly as they got their dinner. Erwin came in, and Eren caught sight of him and froze in his tracks. Levi sighed and resisted facepalming when the kid started to move again upon being prompted by another scout in line, and Jaeger tripped on his own feet. The kid went down with a cry, spilling a little of his stew but somehow managing to land on his knees without dumping the entire bowl.

"Eren, are you okay?" Armin set down his bowl to help the other boy back to his feet, and Eren was grimacing in pain.

"Yeah…I'm just going to have bruised kneecaps for a little while." Eren was blushing hard, and he looked around for something to clean up the spill. "Sorry. I tripped."

"Here, Eren." Connie came around from behind the food layout, grabbing the dishrag he had slung over his shoulder. "I can get that. Looks like you went down pretty hard. Ouch."

"I'm getting used to pain," Eren muttered.

Levi met Erwin's gaze across the room, guessing the commander had witnessed Eren's clumsy display. It was impossible to tell what the man was thinking, but Erwin didn't approach Eren or say anything to him. He went wordlessly to get in line for dinner, and when he picked up one of the petrified rolls, he paused and stared at it. Levi almost smirked with amusement when Connie noticed the alpha's reaction to his baking and started apologizing profusely to him.

"Sorry, Commander! This was my first try at baking bread. I know I screwed it up bad."

Ever patient, Erwin smiled at the boy. "It's exceedingly rare for anyone to do a perfect job the first time they try something new. I'm sure it will be fine."

Levi glanced at Eren, noting the boy was hanging onto Erwin's every word like the man was giving a rousing speech.

"Darling, quit that," Hange whispered to him.

Levi looked at her. "Quit what?"

"Watching the two of them like a hawk. People are going to think you're jealous, at this rate."

Levi smirked at her. "People like you, maybe?"

Hange shrugged.

Deciding not to provoke her natural territorialism further, Levi let the matter drop. Hange was pretty good about not being possessive, but he found he didn't mind her little moments as much as he would have expected.

"Your hair smells nice," he complimented softly, catching a familiar whiff of the scent coming from the newly washed, loose-hanging locks. "You used my tea conditioner?"

Hange smiled with pleasure, evidently pacified by the attention he was giving her. "Of course. I hope you don't mind that I used your bottle. I forgot to bring mine with me when I left the research facility, because I was so eager to see you again."

"It's fine. Use as much as you want while you're here." Levi shrugged. "I'll make more. How's the research coming along, by the way?"

Hange grimaced a bit. "I've been torturing the poor things to learn more about their physiology, comparing their reactions to negative stimulation to that of a human being's."

Levi frowned, shaking a little salt into his stew after having his first taste of it. "I don't know what the hell that means."

"I'm testing their reactions to pain," she clarified.

"Oh. What's that supposed to tell you?"

"Hopefully where an unknown weak spot might be. So far, we have only the tendons, the eyes and the nape of the neck as known vulnerabilities. Striking them in the heart is ineffective, for example. I'm also toying with the idea of…"

Levi blew on another bite of stew, and he looked at the scientist when he saw her eyes begin to moisten tellingly. He could feel her sudden angst, and even now, he couldn't understand her sympathy for these test subjects or her guilt for what she did to them. "What? Finish what you were saying."

Hange picked up her stew soaked bread roll, and she stared at it with contemplative brown eyes. "We know that death isn't immediate when a person gets swallowed up by a titan. Eren confirmed that for us. He said that there was another victim inside the belly of the one that swallowed him that was still alive, at least for a few moments. That means his surviving it long enough to transform and free himself wasn't just due to his shifter regenerative rate."

"Sounds reasonable," he agreed. "So what are you thinking of doing that's got you so upset?"

Hange met his gaze, her unhappiness plain on her face. "Dissecting one of them. At least, cutting him open while he's still alive and getting a better look at what passes for a digestive system in these guys. We need to understand more about it, because in theory, anyone that gets devoured whole could be rescued before death if we know exactly where to cut and act quickly enough. Think of how many of our comrades have died in slow agony when they might have been saved."

Levi felt sick, and the already unappetizing dinner further lost its appeal to him. "Damn."

Hange squeezed his knee beneath the table. "I'm sorry. I don't want to bring you down when you've already had so much on your mind. You're my partner though, and I know you'll listen to my theories and speculations even if you don't get them half the time. I haven't had anyone to talk to about it save Moblit, and it's depressing. That's part of why I was so eager to see you. I want some Levi snuggles as much as I want some action."

While he didn't get why she felt the way she did about hurting her subjects, Levi had come to accept that was just part of who she was. "You'll get both," he promised softly. "I want you to remember something if and when you go through with this idea, though."

"What's that, love?" Hange took a bite of her stew and she chewed as she waited for his response.

"I want you to keep what you've just told me in mind while you're doing it. Think of how many of our soldiers have died that way, and how many victims those two pets of yours may have treated to such a horrible death. Might make it easier for you if you put it into the right perspective."

Hange took a deep breath, nodded and had a sip of wine. "That's what makes it all bearable for me. I haven't forgotten our fallen comrades."

"Good. So which one are you thinking of doing this with?"

"Sawney," she said decisively, compressing her lips.

"That's the smaller one, right? Why him?" Levi had a sip of his tea.

Hange looked at him, and a fat tear rolled down her face. "Because he doesn't scream when I torture him for research."

Levi went still, feeling suddenly helpless. He never said so, but he hated to see Hange cry for any reason. He got up, dropped his hard bread roll into his stew, picked up his bowl and his cup of tea. "Come on, grab your food."

"Why?" Hange's brows furrowed over the rims of her glasses.

"We'll finish this slop in my quarters. That way if you want or need to break down, you can do it and I'll be the only one to see it."

Hange gave him a tremulous, grateful smile. "Okay. That sounds like a plan to me."

* * *

-To be continued

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> End of chapter humor recap:
> 
> Eren: "Don't look at the hotness. Just don't. Shit, I looked!"
> 
> Levi: "Fuck, Erwin…why not just give the kid a lap dance? Eren, put your boner away and come with me."
> 
> Eren: "Crap, the captain noticed!" *Puts bag over head*
> 
> Levi: "Stay the fuck away from my son…er…my uh…just stay away from him, blondie."
> 
> Erwin: "Are you high? You do realize that drug abuse is grounds for immediate discharge, don't you?"
> 
> Hange: "Grump, grump, grump! Faster horse! Mama's horny!"
> 
> Levi: "Holy shit, she's coming at me like a linebacker!" 
> 
> Hange: *POUNCE* 
> 
> Levi: "I'm uh…what's that word? Sorry for jumping down your throat earlier, chief. Here's what's up."
> 
> Erwin: "You? Apologizing? And a cute young guy has a crush on me? This really is a day of surprises."
> 
> Levi: ┌∩┐(ಠ_ಠ)┌∩┐ "Stop grinning like that, you creep."
> 
> Hange: "I have to cut one of my babies open!"
> 
> Levi: "…shit. She's crying. I don't like the crying."


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for picking on you, Erwin.

A few days after Hange left to return to the titan holding facility, Erwin called Levi into his office to speak with him. "I have a task for you, and you aren't going to like it."

Levi regarded him suspiciously. "And what might this 'task' be, sir?"

Erwin sighed, and he pinched the bridge of his nose between a thumb and forefinger as if his head were paining him. "A social engagement in the capital tomorrow night."

Levi's jaw tensed. He narrowed his eyes on his superior, vividly recalling the last time he'd accompanied him on such an event. "Tell me you're kidding."

Erwin chuckled humorlessly, and he dropped his hand to the desk. "How I wish that I were. It would be so much easier, wouldn't it? I'm afraid it's no joke, though. Not only do I need you to accompany; I also require Eren's attendance."

"Why Jaeger?" Levi wondered, mystified in spite of himself. "He's just a kid."

"No, he's much more than that, as you know," Erwin corrected. "He's a soldier with the capability of transforming himself into titan form. He is a living weapon, much like yourself. The lord that extended this party invitation wants to meet the both of you. Word travels fast, and he's heard a lot about Eren Jaeger."

"Well, too bad," grumbled Levi. "Neither of us are party favors you can pass around and show off."

"Levi, this is not a request. It's important that you both be at my side. Our benefactors need to see Eren's human side. They need reassurance that he is in fact on the side of humanity. Do this, and our military budget stands to gain from it. This means more funding towards our expeditions, more funding for Hange's research, and more funding for additional recruitment. We really can't afford _not_ to go. Is that clear to you?"

Levi gave him one of those supremely irritated looks that he tended to reserve only for Erwin when the commander ordered him to do something he disagreed with. "Fine. So who's this lord we're trying to impress, anyway?"

"Lord James Calloway," answered the commander. "I've only met him before briefly during my last foray to the capital. He's a widower and he's already contributed to our cause in the past. Otherwise I would make up some excuse to spare you from enduring something I know you cannot stand."

"Tch. Don't expect me to be too sociable. I'll go, but I'm not going to be making any small talk with those pigs."

"I would expect no less of you." Erwin smirked. "Just mind your manners and do your best not to insult our host or his other guests."

Levi got up. "As long as there's somewhere for me to retreat to get away from people when they start to piss me off. Am I dismissed?"

Erwin nodded. "Yes. Please inform Eren and be ready to leave after lunch. I've already hired a coachman to take us."

Levi saluted, and he turned and left without another word.

* * *

"We're going to a party? The three of us, together?" Eren couldn't quite contain the excitement in his expression at the prospect.

"No, we're gonna ride separately and stay on opposite sides of the room from each other all night," replied the captain in a scathing tone.

Eren winced, not missing the sarcasm in his captain's response. "Sorry, sir. I'm just surprised that the commander would want to include me."

Levi shrugged. "You're 'humanity's hope'. I'm 'humanity's strongest'. Those pigs are curious about us and Erwin's big on kissing their asses if the price is right. Guess I can't really blame the big guy, as tight as things have been with our budget."

"Oh." Eren looked down at himself. "I don't really have anything nice to wear."

"We can fix that. We'll pick something up when we reach the capital. It'll just have to come out of the budget, since this whole farce is to help increase it anyhow."

"Is the commander okay with that?" Eren's eyes widened a bit.

Levi's expression went—if possible—even flatter. "He'd better be, unless he wants you showing up in your uniform. Better pack the least worn and stained ensemble you can find, just in case. We haven't really discussed wardrobe options, but it's possible he wants us in uniform for the sake of making a specific impression."

Eren nodded. "Got it, sir."

* * *

Later that same day, the three of them climbed into the carriage that arrived for them and they were off for the weekend. Eren tried to stay calm and dignified through the ride, but each time he met Commander Erwin's eyes even briefly, he found himself blushing and thinking inappropriate thoughts. Upon realizing it was impossible for him to look at the man without giving himself away, Eren spent most of the journey staring out the window or pretending to doze, just to avoid looking at the commander. Levi was dead silent through the carriage ride, lost in his own thoughts. He sipped tea from a thermos he'd brought with him, and he occasionally spoke with Erwin concerning military matters. As for Erwin, the commander busied himself with a book for the most part, when he wasn't speaking to Levi or checking the landscape outside to estimate how close they were to their destination.

They didn't arrive in Stohess until early the next morning. The carriage came to a stop, and the driver got out and knocked on the door to get their attention. "Commander Smith, we've arrived."

Eren awoke to find himself in a highly awkward position. He was sprawled with his head thrown back and his arms resting on the back of the seat. When he raised his head with a groan to look around the interior of the coach, he felt a heavy weight against his shoulder, as well as an arm draped over his midsection that didn't belong to him. Looking down, he saw the raven crown of Levi's head lying against his left shoulder. The captain had put one arm around him in his sleep. Levi's legs were crossed, and Eren could only assume that the man had been sitting in his usual folded-arm position when he dozed off and ended up leaning against him.

"Uhh..." Eren wiped his lips with his free hand, further embarrassed to find he'd been drooling in his sleep. He heard a low snore across from them, and he looked to see Erwin curled up like a great cat on his side, lying horizontal on the other seat. Somehow the tall blond alpha had managed to fit himself onto it that way, and he reminded Eren of a lion.

"Sirs?" called the driver. "I'm sorry to wake you if you're asleep, but we've arrived at the Inn you'll be staying in."

Erwin came awake with a jerk. He sat up, rubbed his eyes and cleared his throat. His usually immaculate hair was mussed, sticking up in places. "Yes, just a moment. Give us a moment and we'll step out."

Erwin stretched and covered his mouth on a yawn. He cracked his eyes open, and he noticed Eren's frozen posture and the captain snoozing soundly in a snuggling position against him. He coughed into his hand, his yawn interrupted. His eyes lit up with amusement, and he looked at Eren.

"Apparently, you make a convenient pillow," whispered the commander.

Eren gulped. Levi was cranky on a regular basis. He had no idea what might happen to him if he tried to nudge the older omega off and disturbed him. "Commander, what should I do?" he whispered back to Erwin.

Before Erwin could offer a suggestion, Levi stirred a bit, pressed his nose against Eren's collar and slid his hand up to his chest. Eren's eyes popped wide as the captain started groping the area. A little frown appeared on Levi's mouth, and he mumbled softly.

"Hange, where'd they go?"

_~Oh my God, Captain Levi thinks I'm Hange and he's feeling me up!~_

Eren made one of those embarrassing squeaking noises. "Um, sir? Captain Levi? I'm...I'm not Hange."

_~And you're feeling around for boobs that aren't there, and Erwin is staring at us and I want to just die right now, please!~_

"Levi," Erwin said sternly, coming to Eren's rescue. "Wake up. We've arrived. Hange isn't here."

Levi slowly opened his eyes and lifted his head. He looked at Eren with a disoriented frown, and then reality seemed to dawn on him. He pulled his hand away, leaned off of the shifter and blinked a couple of times to clear the sleep from his eyes.

"Shit."

Erwin turned his head and coughed into his hand again, his face going slightly ruddy. The sound was followed by deep, low laughter that the alpha couldn't seem to stifle in his half-asleep state. Eren pressed his knees together, bit his lip and avoided looking at either of them.

"Fuck you, Erwin," Levi grumbled, flushing the slightest bit. "I forgot where I was, is all."

The captain looked at Erwin, and his angry expression faded into one of grudging apology. "Sorry, brat."

Erwin composed himself, and he retrieved a small hand mirror from the bag he'd stashed beneath his seat. "Well then, now that we're all awake..."

The commander quickly used the mirror and a comb to groom his hair back into place. "Shall we exit?"

* * *

As it turned out, Erwin did approve a dress outfit for Eren for the occasion, and to wear to any future social gatherings he might need to dress for. Levi took him to a gentlemen's clothing shop once they got settled in, and he helped the boy pick out an ensemble for the gathering they'd be attending that night. He kept the price reasonably moderate without skimping on style, and he eyed his ward critically once Eren stepped out in the dress clothes.

"It will do," Levi stated. The white dinner jacket and pants combined with the deep green dress shirt looked pretty good on Jaeger. It complimented the tone of his skin and the color of his eyes. "All right, let's get this over with, shall we? Just bag up the clothes you came in here wearing and leave the dress clothes on. We're going to have to leave for the event shortly after returning to the Inn, anyway."

Eren nodded in agreement, and he did as his captain commanded.

* * *

That evening proved to be one of the worst and strangest nights Erwin had ever experienced in his life. They arrived at the estate for the party, and the moment Levi looked around and saw all of the wealthy guests in their refinery, their false smiles and their way of breaking up into groups of political debate and socialization, he practically gagged.

"Oh hell, it's worse than I thought."

Erwin glanced sidelong at Levi, and if this weren't such an important event and introduction, he might have found the captain's expressed disgust rather hilarious. If Hange were there, she surely would have been pinching Levi's cheeks right now and gushing over how adorable his sour puss looked.

"Levi," warned the commander in a low, solemn tone, "be sociable—or as sociable as possible, for you. This is important to the Survey Corps and ultimately, for the survival of your men."

Levi sighed. "Right."

He then plastered on the most ridiculous looking fake smile Erwin had ever seen. It was actually a bit frightening on Levi's face, because it was so out of character and strange to see on his face. It almost looked like he was trying to imitate one of Hange's broad smiles, but Levi's face simply wasn't designed to pull off a grin like that.

"You look like a maniac," whispered Erwin, bending down and leaning over to speak into Levi's ear. "I think you took my advice to the extreme."

Levi spoke through his teeth, his forced grin hardly moving. "This is how these assholes do it, right? Smile through their teeth?"

"No, that's more like what Hange does when she's about to strangle someone," corrected Erwin.

"What the fuck do you want me to do?" Levi shot back, still speaking through his pseudo grin. "I don't know how to smile pretty for these pigs."

Erwin sighed, feeling a headache coming on. "Just stop. You'll scare off any potential donators, with a face like that. Be yourself...just less...you. Forget trying to 'smile pretty' if all that you can do is imitate your mate."

Levi dropped the smile, and he shrugged. "You're the one that's trying to get me to be social. By the way, are you trying to say Hange's smile isn't cute?"

Realizing his error, the commander immediately worked to correct it before Levi could make a scene. Some omegas were just as territorial and protective as their alphas, and Levi obviously fit into that category. "No, of course not. I'm merely saying that her smile doesn't fit on your face."

"Sirs?" Eren interjected before Levi could respond to that, "there's a lady coming this way."

Indeed, there was a woman with white-blond hair heading their way across the polished floor of the ballroom, and her green eyes were fixated on Erwin. The commander straightened up and he smiled at her with a cordial bow. "Good evening, Miss," he greeted when she came to a stop before him with admiration shining in her gaze.

"You must be Commander Smith!" She extended a hand for Erwin to kiss. "I've heard so many tales about you, I'd wondered if any of them were true. Yet here you are at Lord Calloway's estate! I've been wanting to meet you for so long, sir!"

"The pleasure is all mine," said Erwin charmingly, bending over to kiss the top of her hand. He hadn't even asked her name yet, but these aristocrats tended to reveal them on their own once they'd made initial introductions.

"Matilda!" A man roughly in his thirties came and took the woman by the arm. "My apologies, my sister has had a bit too much to drink, Commander. She forgets her manners."

Erwin shook his head as the aristocrat practically dragged the woman away, her protests trailing behind them. "No trouble at all," he said, though the pair were already out of hearing range.

He noticed as Matilda looked back that Eren stepped in front of him, as if shielding him from her. Erwin couldn't quite hide his smirk of amusement, and he graciously accepted the wine offered to him by a passing servant. It seemed that Jaeger was starting to take on some of Levi's personality traits, insofar as being territorial. He doubted the boy was even consciously aware of it.

"It's fine, Eren," assured the commander when the same servant offered a drink to the shifter as well. "Just use moderation."

"Yes sir," agreed Eren.

"Sure, why not?" Levi said, also having a glass.

It wasn't until Erwin was midway through his glass of wine that he realized his mistake. He'd been so preoccupied with seeking out their host and making introductions that it didn't dawn on him until the room started to spin. He saw Eren go down, saw Levi try to get the boy up before collapsing on top of him. He understood—too late—that they'd been drugged.

"Levi, don't," Erwin tried to say, dropping his glass with a shatter and making his way over to the captain. He briefly wondered why everyone was just staring, but then someone came up and spoke, and strong arms caught hold of him.

"It's all right," said a male voice. "It appears the commander and his companions have had a bit too much. We'll take care of it."

 _~Goddamn it,~_ Erwin thought as the world faded around him, and then his world went dark.

* * *

The next morning, Hange blinked at the note that Eld had given to her, delivered by a mystery rider in a scroll tube. She shook her head, her brows furrowing over the rim of her glasses. "You didn't _stop_ them? Where the hell is Mike?"

"Out surveying the walls," answered Levi's second-in-command. "Commander Erwin assigned him to decide the strike plan to clear the way for our next expedition, Section Commander."

Hange bunched up the note in a fist, and she whirled to face her assistant. Moblit visibly cringed in an instinctive reaction, though Hange had never raised a hand to him. "Fuck," she uttered. "Moblit, I'm leaving you in charge of the latest omega project."

"Of course, Commander Hange!" He saluted her.

"What are you going to do?" Eld asked her, holding his cool despite the terrible situation.

"The Brass is going to tell us to back off and let this be handled diplomatically, I'm sure," Hange said with a scowl. "It's better you don't know what I'm going to do. Stick to protocol and wait for further news and instructions."

Eld visibly swallowed in reaction to the crazed glint in her eyes. "With all due respect, Commander Hange, I think we ought to wait for—"

Hange widened her eyes as she interrupted him. "Wait for what? I'm simply telling you to go about your business."

Eld cringed a little. "Right. I'll do that, ma'am."

Hange nodded. "Good. Now excuse me, I have to er...get something and ready my horse."

Neither of the beta males tried to argue with her further. Hange didn't go immediately to the stables. She instead went to weapon supply, signed out her titan slaying gear plus a couple more things, and then went to retrieve her horse. Fortunately, the animal was rested enough due to her having arrived the night before. She'd been disappointed to find that Levi was away in the capital with Erwin and Eren, but she hadn't been worried until she got that note.

_"Abandon your plans for Wall Maria, or we will put an end to your commander, your elite captain and your pet titan."_

Hange's horse was already prepared for her when she arrived at the stables. Dita asked her what was going on just before she mounted up on Gypsy, and she ignored him. She took off at full speed, her eyes narrowed behind her combat goggles.

She wasn't even certain of what she was doing. That was the way Hange ran, though. As if it weren't enough that they'd abducted the commander and Eren, the bastards had taken her mate. She could sense him, though faintly. She would find him. She'd just follow the bond. She wheeled her horse around when she realized she was heading in the wrong direction, and she patted the mare's neck when the animal snorted in protest.

"I'm sorry girl," Hange uttered to her horse desperately. "I'll try to get it straight and be more gentle! Run hard for me, and run fast!"

As usual, the equine responded well to her mistress's urgency. She took off at a hard gallop once Hange got her bearings right, and road dust billowed behind them. Hange wasn't smiling as she drove her horse as quickly as possible. She knew she was heading in the right direction when she sensed that little "Levi" twinge getting stronger.

"Good girl," Hange approved, urging her horse on. "We're going to show them the folly of messing with Levi, aren't we?"

The horse whinnied as if in agreement, proving that she was just as mad as her mistress.

* * *

"Tch. Well, thank you, Erwin. I guess Eren and I better prepare our asses for a pounding."

The commander sighed in response to Levi's sardonic words. It wasn't as though he'd deliberately fallen into this trap. He'd caught on to what it was the moment the drugged wine started to take effect on him, but by then Levi and Eren were both passed out. The next thing he knew, he woke up who knew where, blindfolded and secured to a thick wooden beam. Levi and Eren were evidently tied up to the same object.

Speaking of the latter, he was coming too and the first thing he said in reaction to the situation was: "How do I keep ending up chained to a pole? Am I on trial again?"

"No, you aren't on trial," Erwin explained softly. "We've been abducted, Eren."

"Yeah, and we're about to be someone's bitches," added Levi.

"… _what_?" The boy's alarmed response echoed slightly off the walls surrounding them.

"Levi, stop scaring the boy," Erwin said sternly. "I drifted in and out while they were securing us, and I overheard one of them speaking of the plan to reclaim Wall Maria. Whoever is behind this seems to think that if they can hold the three of us here, then the Survey Corps won't be able to go through with the mission."

"Well I hate to say it sir, but aren't they right?" Eren pointed out, grunting and straining against his bonds. All three of them were sitting on the floor, with their cuffed hands secured to a thick chain around the pole. "I mean, without you or the captain, who's going to lead the expedition?"

"And without Eren, they can't plug the hole in the wall even if they try," reminded Levi. "Let's face it; the mission's as good as doomed if we can't make it out of here."

"So they'll try to keep us here as long as they can to stop the Wall Maria plan from happening?" Eren said.

Ervin tightened his lips grimly. No, that would be a lot of work and inconvenience. They were more likely to try and defame or disband the scouts while the three of them were missing, convincing the brass that the Legion wasn't strong enough to go through with it without them.

"In the best case scenario, they've done this to buy some time and pull strings to convince the higher ups to abandon the plan as too risky and expensive," stated Erwin out loud.

"And what's the worst case scenario, sir?" Eren questioned nervously.

"They plan to dispose of us, or do something to cripple us in body to the point where we can no longer conduct our duties to the scouts and will have to step down."

"And have a little 'fun' with us in the meantime," said Levi grimly.

"W-what does that mean, Captain?" a slight quiver was in his voice.

"It means I was half-awake when they were chaining us up," answered Levi, "and some inappropriate touching went on. A couple of them were alphas. One of them was sniffing at me and copping a feel. Said it would be a waste to let a cute pair of omegas go without trying us out. Another one said—and I have to agree—that it would be hard for me to carry on my duties as captain if I was pregnant. The other one asked if shifters could even get pregnant."

Erwin scowled. He must have dozed off when this happened. "Well, that would be one way to get you and Eren out of the picture without killing you or removing any limbs."

"But my limbs would just grow back," Eren said. "Or they should, at least."

"They might not know that, brat," Levi reasoned. "And when they talked about letting us go, I don't think they meant alive. I think Erwin's right; they plan to kills us at some point, but not before they have their way."

"All right, just calm down and think rationally," said Erwin sternly. "Yes, they are likely to kill myself and Levi. Eren, I think, would be too valuable, and they may know that killing him isn't such an easy task."

"So knocking him up and making him someone's omega would be the way to keep him in control without losing the advantage he could bring if they need it." Levi spoke calmly, but Erwin could sense the undertone of rage in his tone.

"I think I'd rather die," Eren growled. "In fact, I know I would. I'm not going to let some bastard rape me and use me like that."

"Without access to our suppressants, one or both of us are likely to have a heat sooner or later," warned Levi. "If that happens, fighting off an attacker's going to be near impossible."

"Nobody is getting raped or impregnated," Erwin told them firmly. His muscles bulged as he tested his restraints, and he got his feet under him in a squatting position. "Everyone, lift up. The chain around this object we're bound to isn't pinned into place. We can work it up the pole together so that we can stand."

There were clanks and grunts as the three scouts worked together to get upright. Eventually it worked, and their backs were to the pole and each other as they stood up against it. Erwin felt the pole shift a little in their struggles, and his blindfold had slipped just enough to drop down on the right side, allowing him to see with that eye. He looked around at their surroundings quickly, trying to figure out where they were.

"It's dim, but there is a lantern on the wall near the doorway," described the commander. "I can't tell if the door is locked or not."

"Only one way to find out," grunted Levi. "Fuck. I'm trying to slip free, but they put these manacles on tight. I don't know if I can pull it off."

Erwin's expression darkened. "Then we improvise. Help me unlodge this pole. I think we can move it."

"And do what, sir?" Eren asked.

"I believe it would make an efficient battering ram. After that, I don't know."

"You serious?" Levi sputtered.

"Can you think of a better plan?" Erwin shot back.

Levi sighed. "Fine. We'll try your idea. Just be ready, because this is going to cause a ruckus and we've got no idea how many enemies are going to come running."

"Understood." Erwin flexed his muscles, and he started to try rocking the pole. "It's moving. Help me."

Eren threw everything he had into it; Erwin had to give the boy credit. Growling and snarling, the shifter's efforts were clearly born of desperation.

"Wait a minute," Levi said when Erwin leaned forward as the pole came free of the earthen floor. "Hey, hold up! Smith, you're lifting _me_ with this thing...you wanna throw your back out?"

Erwin snarled, blue eyes fierce and determined. He ignored their small companion's protests, bunching his thighs to brace against the weight. Eren assisted him, and they started to stagger together toward the door.

"On the count of three, Eren," instructed the commander. His blindfold slipped down further and he spit it out of his mouth when it got wedged between his lips. "Keep this heading. One..."

"Oi, shitface, I'm up in the fucking air..."

"Two," continued Erwin. He had no time to worry about Levi's dignity. "Stop kicking, Levi. You're throwing my balance off."

Levi complied, but he kept cursing.

"Three," finished Erwin, and he yelled with effort as he charged the door with Eren's help. It was clumsy...more like a rapid stagger than a rush. The pole crashed into the door as intended though, and Erwin fought to keep from toppling over as it gave with surprising ease and flew open. He found himself facing two men on the other side of it; one an alpha and the other a beta.

"Damn."

"What's going on?" Levi demanded.

"We've got company." Erwin tried to think as the two men drew knives. Bound up like this and supporting most of the weight, there wasn't much he could do.

"Turn it around," Levi snapped. "My legs are free."

Recalling how good the captain was at kicking people, Erwin rotated clumsily so that Levi was the one facing the open doorway.

"Oh shit," he heard one of the opposition mutter, and then there was the sound of impact as Levi used the sound of the guy's voice to gauge where he was. Erwin winced at the crash that soon followed, and he turned his head and leaned as much as he could to one side so that he could see what was going on. Levi had kicked the smaller of the two kidnappers right into the wall in the hallway. The other one he had trapped between his thighs by the neck, and the alpha was preparing to stab Levi with his knife in a desperate attempt to free himself.

Erwin jerked backwards, shoving the pole and Levi into the enemy to throw the man off balance. There was a sickening crack, and the man went limp, his neck broken by the force of constriction around his neck.

"Hold us steady," Levi advised as he let his victim fall to the floor. The other guy was out cold. "I'm going to try and check for keys."

"How?" Eren blurted, turning his head this way and that.

"With my feet." Levi grunted, and he worked his toes to rummage through the pockets of the dead kidnapper. "Fuck, and I just bought those shoes."

"I believe our priorities at the moment—" began Erwin

"Fuck you, I'm having a hard enough time doing this blind without you pointing out the tight-ass budget."

There was suddenly a huge ruckus from the upper level of the building they were in. It sounded like wood splintering, followed by rifle fire. There were shouts of surprise, followed by the unmistakable sound of death gurgles and screams of pain.

"Hurry, Levi," begged Erwin.

"I'm trying," complained the captain. "Hey Eren, you still awake?"

"Muuhh?" came the shifter's response. "Uh, yeah. Sorry. I'm still shaking it off. Messing around with the pole and ramming the door took a lot out of me."

"Stay with us, Eren," encouraged Erwin. He did his best to look around the pole to see what Levi was doing. He saw the captain trying to manipulate a large keyring with his bare feet. "Should we lower down some?"

"No, don't move," Levi instructed, still blindfolded like Eren. "Just give me a fucking second, would you?"

Erwin held as still as he could, his shoulders aching and burning with the strain. "Hurry."

"I am going to kick you in the ass after this," promised Levi. "Superior or not."

"Fine," grunted Erwin, beginning to quiver. "Just hurry."

"What's going on?" Eren's voice sounded faintly panicked. "Something's going on up the stairs!"

"Dunno." Levi managed to somehow maneuver his body to reach the padlock on his manacles, and he was working the keys amazingly with his toes. "Both of you shut up and let me concentrate."

Erwin grunted softly, bearing most of the weight to hold Levi steady. He felt some of that weight lifted a bit when Eren stopped fretting and began helping him, and he breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you."

With a nasty clank, Levi's chains fell to the floor. Suddenly the weight was lessened as the nimble captain finished his task and dropped down. "Looks like we're in someone's cellar," observed Levi. "Hold on; I'll get you two clowns free."

* * *

"Where is he?" Hange shook the half-conscious alpha once again, holding him in mid-air. "Where is he, you filth? What did you do with him?"

Surrounded by bodies of which she could not confirm whether they'd lived or died, the section commander continued to scream in the face of the man she had hold of.

"I swear to science and everything behind these walls, if you don't answer my question soon..." She laughed darkly, and she slammed her hapless victim against the wall before holding him up, leaving his feet dangling and kicking. "..."I'm going to feed you to a titan. Answer my question, you degenerate nothing!"

And that was when Erwin, Levi and Eren emerged from the depths of the cellar.

* * *

Levi could hardly believe his eyes. They'd managed to get free of the fucking pole, and there Hange was, amidst a virtual sea of bodies and shaking some guy like a rag-doll. Her face was bloodied and intense, her messy hair sticky with human blood and matted with dirt. Somehow, she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

"Hange," coughed Levi. He'd thought he'd sensed her presence, but he'd chalked it up to wishful thinking.

She stopped her throttling of her victim, looked at Levi and then subsequently let go. Her prey dropped to the floor, choking. Hange grinned widely in a manner that was far unrestrained from Levi's earlier interpretation, and she ran to him. She hopped over bodies and she embraced him tightly before he could even comment on how fucked up he thought the situation was.

"My captain," Hange choked, hugging him tighter. "My grump."

"I'm okay," He finally managed, when her tight squeeze faltered enough. "I'm okay. Calm down."

Hange pulled back, her face stained with blood, and she closed in for a kiss.

"My Levi," she muttered against his lips.

* * *

-To be continued

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> End of chapter silly recap:
> 
> Erwin: "Levi, I need to show you and Eren off to one of the rich aristocrats you despise so much."
> 
> Levi: (;_) "Why do you hate me?"
> 
> Eren: "I've got to stop looking at the commander before my face explodes."
> 
> Levi: (-, – )…zzzZZZ
> 
> Eren: "...Captain's snuggling me. What do I doOOoOoO...whoa! That was a chest grope!" (ﾟдﾟ)
> 
> Erwin: "Pfffft....L-Levi, wake up."
> 
> Levi: "Hange, where'd your tits go? They might be small but it's like they're gone completely."
> 
> Eren: "I'm not Hange, sir!"
> 
> Levi: "...oh shit." 
> 
> Erwin: ☚(ﾟヮﾟ☚) "And I saw the whole thing."
> 
> Levi: "Fuck off."
> 
> Erwin: "Levi, be more sociable."
> 
> Levi: "...okay." (*′☉.̫☉) *tries to imitate Hange's smile*
> 
> Erwin: "WTF is that?"
> 
> Levi: "You said to be sociable. I'm smiling."
> 
> Erwin: "Yes, but...you look like a serial killer. Never mind...just try not to insult people...shit."
> 
> Eren: "Bitch, stay away from my man. Well, technically he's not my man, but he could be and Imma go titan on you if you touch him again."
> 
> Hange: "I've got a thing to do."
> 
> Eld and Moblit: "What thing?"
> 
> Hange: "A thing you're better off knowing about. Now STFU."
> 
> Moblit (after Hange's departure): "Dude, did your balls just shrivel up too?"
> 
> Eld: "I think my nutsack is up my asshole right now, actually."
> 
> Hange: "Excuse me while I have a shit-fit."
> 
> Levi: "We're gonna get raped."
> 
> Eren" Oh no, fuck that."
> 
> Erwin: "I agree, now let's get creative."
> 
> Levi: "I don't think this is the right time to talk about your knitting."
> 
> Hange: "MWAH HA HA! DIE FUCKERS!"
> 
> Levi: "I'm so turned on by you right now."
> 
> Hange: "Then maybe I should drink from the skulls of our enemies more often."


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did a rather hasty job of proofreading this chapter, so I apologize for any mistakes I missed. I'll read over it again tonight to check for additional corrections.

They returned to the keep immediately, putting off confrontation of the lord that they had every right to believe was responsible for setting them up. They needed to regroup and rest, as far as Erwin was concerned. Levi ordered Hange into a bath, telling her she needed to cool off when she demanded they go after Lord Calloway.

"Erwin's got a plan of action," he told her. They had the men's bathing room to themselves, and he'd filled one of the large tubs with heated water. Levi pointed at said tub when Hange opened her mouth to argue with him. "Bath. Now. You're fucking filthy."

Hange compressed her lips, sighing through her nose. "Stubborn as a mule," she muttered, but she started to disrobe without further argument.

Levi watched her with the barest hint of a smirk. Alpha or not, she didn't call the shots in their relationship. He was silently thankful that she never used her alpha influence on him to gain the upper hand, and he started to undress as well. Hange propped her glasses further up on her nose when the last of her clothing hit the floor, and she ogled him shamelessly.

"The glasses need to go too," Levi informed her, pretending not to notice her admiring stare. He was beginning to flush with desire, and it was hardly surprising when he pulled his pants down and found himself in an erect state. They hadn't been intimate in a week. Hell, when she'd busted in like a maniac at the location he was being held at was the first time they'd even seen one another since she'd returned to her titan researching.

"I'll take them off in a minute," Hange promised softly. "After I get a good eyeful of my little boop."

"Heh. At least you're basically sticking to the pet names you've already come up with."

Levi was in too good of a mood to bitch about her referring to him that way. Frankly, he was relieved over her unexpected and violent appearance. She'd saved him, Erwin and Eren the trouble of fighting the rest of their captors off to escape. They'd arrested the survivors before leaving the capital, turning them in to the Brass to face trial for their actions. None of them were in decent enough shape to reveal a motive for what they'd done or confirm Lord Calloway's involvement in it.

Hange's gaze slipped down to his groin, taking note of his condition. "Come here, you delectable darling." She held her arms open expectantly, displaying her small, firm breasts to view.

Levi went still, his gaze fixated on his mate's tanned nudity. He'd always been secretly envious of Hange and Eren's skin tone. The sunlight had never been his friend; he tended to burn rather than tan if he stayed out in it for very long. Hange had a natural olive tone that allowed her exposure to sunlight that would generally have crisped Levi. Though she was still stained with blood in places—some of it in her hair—he couldn't help but admire the sight of her.

"Levi?" Hange frowned a bit. "Is it the blood? It's the blood, isn't it? I'm sorry, love. I shouldn't be asking for snuggles before washing it off."

He shook his head, snapping his thoughts back into place. "No. I was just...looking at you." He folded his pants and he placed them in the corner with the rest of his discarded clothing. He approached the scientist, and he reached up to liberate her glasses from her face. "Get in the water, four eyes."

Hange smiled at him happily, and she stepped into the warmed bathtub while Levi placed her glasses on the basin. He noticed a smudge on the lenses, and he impulsively grabbed up his cravat to wipe it away.

"Sweetheart, we can clean my glasses later," Hange said with a chuckle. "Not that I mind watching that cute little butt wiggle while you rub away the smears. The water's going to get cold, though."

Levi felt his flush creep up his neck to his ears. He set the glasses down and he waited a moment for his embarrassment to fade before turning around. "Force of habit."

"And it's an endearing one," Hange assured him with a smirk. She held her dripping arms out. "Now get in here with me, my cranky captain. I've missed you."

Levi went to her without question, stepping into the stone tub a big gingerly before sinking down on the seat beside her. He reached for the shampoo he'd set on the edge, and he squirted some into his palm. "First thing's first. Unbind your hair and duck under so I can wash the goop out."

Hange reached up to do as he commanded, and she took a deep breath before submerging. Levi waited for her to come back up before urging her to turn her back to him so he could lather her hair up. He stood up for the task, and Hange closed her eyes as his strong fingers kneaded her scalp.

"Mmm. I can put up with your OCD when the results are this sort of pampering," sighed the alpha female. She smiled blissfully, clearly enjoying his fastidious treatment.

"You'd never get clean if I didn't bathe you," grumbled Levi. He purposely brushed the damp tip of his erection between her shoulder blades; a not-so-subtle reminder to her that he was enjoying doing this as much as she was.

"Oh my," Hange said with a little smile. "You really _are_ happy to see me again."

Levi smirked. "Maybe a little. Go ahead and duck under again, you nut."

Hange chuckled, and she submerged. Levi scrubbed the shampoo out of her hair while she was under the water, and he tapped her on the shoulder when he was finished. Hange came up with a little gasp, and he grabbed up the bottle of conditioner. He bent over as he worked it through her wet hair, and he spoke into her ear.

"I about shit myself when I saw you standing there. I thought I was seeing things."

"Oh?" Hange turned her head to plant a kiss on his cheek. "Did you really think I wouldn't come for you when I found out you were in trouble, my dear?"

Levi shrugged. "I just wondered how the hell you knew. You weren't anywhere near the capital. Is the bond just stronger for alphas than it is for omegas?"

"No." Hange shook her head. "I couldn't sense your danger from such a great distance. I actually only knew because a courier arrived with a message from your kidnappers. I knew you fellows were in the Stohess district, so that's where I started my search. Our bond led me to you after that."

"They sent a message?" Levi frowned, still working the conditioner through her hair. "You mean like a ransom note or something?"

"Not quite." She turned again to look at him with a troubled little frown. "Whoever wrote it warned us to abandon our plans for Wall Maria, if we wanted to see you three alive again. They didn't target you for money, Levi. They don't want to see the scouts succeed in our goal to reclaim our territory."

Levi's fingers stilled, and he mulled the problem over. "You didn't say any of this to Erwin."

"Well, I was distracted," she defended. "My thoughts were dominated with your well-being, but now that we're home and safe, I can think a little more clearly."

"Where is the note?" questioned the omega. "We could use it as evidence. If we can match up the handwriting with Calloway's he won't stand a chance in court, no matter how rich he is."

Hange cringed. "Er...I crumpled it up and threw it down after reading it. Maybe Moblit picked it up after I left. I should check with him about that."

Levi sighed, and he tugged her hair in punishment. "Idiot. For a genius, you can be really dense and impulsive."

"I know," she sighed, wincing a little in response to having her hair pulled. "Being in love doesn't improve my common sense. I'll ask Moblit about the ransom note as soon as we finish bathing, okay?"

Levi couldn't retain his annoyance with her. She'd come to save their asses, and if they hadn't been able to escape from that cellar and Hange hadn't tracked them down, they could all be dead or worse by now. He gentled his grip on her hair. "Go ahead and duck under so we can rinse your hair out, four eyes."

She obeyed, and he scrubbed the conditioner out with care. When she came back up, Hange turned around to face him, and she put her arms around him to hold him close. The water ran in tiny rivulets over her skin, and her breasts pushed against his chest. Hange rocked him, kissing his ear.

"I was so afraid," she whispered. "I know how to handle titans, but human beings do unspeakable things just for the sake of it. So many possibilities went through my mind as I was searching for you boys."

Feeling her tremble, Levi returned her embrace. He stroked her back, feeling the rougher patches of skin here and there from the ODM harness marks branding it. "It's all right. It's over with, and we're gonna prosecute the fuckers responsible. Erwin's probably going to be a lot more careful about accepting party invitations from any aristocrats from now on, too."

"Well at the very least, he needs to have a reliable soldier with him at all times from now on. The lord that invited you all to the gathering might not be the only one in on it. Hell, he might not have even had anything to do with the abduction! Someone close to him could have found out you three were coming and they might have arranged it all without him even knowing."

"So you think he could just be a pawn?" Levi frowned. He hadn't considered that. Then again, it _would_ be kind of stupid and reckless for someone to plan a kidnapping and let their targets know exactly who to blame for it. "Shit."

Hange rubbed his slick shoulders, and she urged him to sit down in the bathwater with her. "Let's not think about it right now, grumpy. Like you said; we're safe at home now." She kissed him languidly, sliding her tongue past his lips to fence with his for a moment before pulling away to gaze into his eyes. "While we're in this bath, I want to concentrate on you. I've missed you, and I want to enjoy this little moment before we start brainstorming this investigation."

Levi started to respond, but he ended up sucking in a sharp breath when her fingertips circled his nipples. His erection—which had just started to soften—abruptly came back. Levi returned the favor, cupping Hange's right breast and fondling it as he caught her mouth in another kiss. She was right. Over-thinking the matter while road weary and sleep deprived wouldn't do them any good. Better to get refreshed and rested, and then they could approach the subject with fresh minds.

Levi groaned as his mate slipped one hand beneath the water to seek out his arousal. He rocked into her touch as she gripped him and started stroking him off. His mind now thoroughly distracted from the kidnapping experience, Levi followed his alpha's example and slipped his free hand between her thighs. Hange shuddered as he located the nub of her clit and rubbed it in gentle circles, her legs parting further to give him more access.

"So good," she moaned in compliment, undulating against the pads of his fingers.

Levi stifled the swell of pride her encouragement gave him. He took fucking as seriously as he took titan slaying, and when he had a goal in mind, there was no room for ego. Getting a big head about his performance was something he tried to avoid, because he'd learned at an early age that getting too cocky could lead to mistakes. Sure, he didn't risk death if he got overly confident in lovemaking, but being a suck-ass lover was unacceptable to him.

Of course, Hange's fondling did make concentration a bit difficult. Levi's breath quickened, and he began to thrust into her hand rhythmically. Hange said _he_ was good, but he'd honestly never felt as much pleasure as he did with her. It was like she knew his body better than he did, and she always made his orgasms come so easily. He trembled when she rubbed the tip of his cock gently with her thumb, pausing her strokes for a moment to tease the sensitive slit in the glans.

"Fuck," Levi panted between kisses. He felt the heat spreading through his face as he flushed with sexual felicity.

"I'm tempted to," Hange chuckled, also breathless. "The water makes lubrication an issue, though."

"We can do it afterwards," suggested Levi. He traced her parted lips with the tip of his tongue. "Right now, I just want us both to get off."

"Sounds like a wonderful plan to me. Mmm, Levi...right there, darling."

Levi took her advice, though he no longer needed much verbal prompting to please her. It didn't worry him when her clit didn't swell and elongate; he knew he was making her feel good and that little insecurity was now a thing of the past. He strummed her clit with patient deliberation, fighting back his own moans as Hange's responsive attentions brought him closer to completion.

"Hange," he gasped. That delicious pressure was building...building. He wanted her to come with him. He didn't want to finish first.

"I'm close, love," she assured him huskily. She bit her lip and let her head fall back. "Unh... _very_ close...oh shit...Levi!"

He felt her clit go harder beneath his touch, and he knew by the shudder wracking her body that she was climaxing. Levi nibbled her ear, groaning into it. He couldn't hold back any longer. At the last second, he realized he was about to dirty up the bathwater with his spunk...but he couldn't do anything about that now.

"Hnnn!" His hips jerked, and his release ejected despite his inner protests. Levi bowed his head and rested his forehead against his mate's shoulder, gasping for breath. "Damn."

"What's the matter, my dear?" Hange questioned breathlessly. "I know I didn't hurt you."

"No," he agreed. "You didn't hurt me. Whoever uses this bath next is going to be sitting in my cum, though. Disgusting."

Hange sighed, and she stroked his hair. "We can drain the tub and clean it out, you silly man. I'm sure you aren't the first guy to unload in here."

Levi raised his head, and he couldn't quite disguise the displeasure in his gaze at her observation. "Thanks. Now every time I take a bath, I'm gonna wonder whose fucking sperm I'm soaking in."

Hange choked on a laugh.

* * *

After a couple of days' respite from their ordinary duties, Erwin called for an officer's meeting. As it turned out, Moblit _did_ save the ransom note after Hange threw it down and took off. He even brought it to Erwin before Hange could approach him on the matter, and as all of the veteran officers took their seats, the commander began the meeting.

"Thank you all for arriving promptly," he began. "As you know, Captain Levi and I were recently in an abduction situation with Eren Jaeger. The purpose of this attempt was to interfere with our plans to reclaim Wall Maria, along with the Shiganshina district. Someone orchestrated the kidnapping in the hopes that without the three of us, Survey Corps would have no hope of going ahead with the reclamation goal."

"Why the hell would anyone in their right mind pull a stunt like that?" Gunther wondered aloud. "Everybody only stands to gain from it if we succeed."

"Perhaps not everyone," reasoned Erwin. "As you recall, the monarchy was quick to draft the refugee commoners into the military, supposedly to swell the ranks and attempt a reclamation. This was little more than a culling to cut down on the number of mouths to feed. Let's call it what it is."

Petra lowered her gaze, her expression pained. "You make a good point, sir. Those men and women had no real combat training. They didn't stand a chance. How heartless!"

"It's no use crying over spilled milk," Oluo stated with a shrug. "What's done is done."

Petra glared at him. "You know, you can be a real—"

"Oi, you're not here to argue," Levi reprimanded them both sharply. He nodded at the commander. "Go on, sir. What's your plan?"

"I've already confirmed that the handwriting in the ransom letter does not match Lord Calloway's. He was absent when we were at the party because someone sabotaged his coach. The axel snapped while the man was on his way to his estate, and his coach tipped over. He's been in critical condition ever since. Mike went to question him yesterday, and Lord Calloway was lucid enough to respond."

Erwin nodded at the big blond section commander. "Mike also informed me that Lord Calloway's shock over hearing of what happened seemed genuine, and I trust his judgment."

Mike nodded. "People give off a smell when they're putting on an act, especially if they think they're about to get caught in a lie. The guy was surprised and confused."

"Additionally," Erwin went on, "He's donated additional funds to our budget to assist with this investigation. It stands to reason that whomever arranged our abduction is also responsible for tampering with his coach."

"It could just be a coincidence," suggested Nanaba softly.

"Or he might have set up his own accident to have a solid enough alibi," Ness pointed out.

Levi frowned at Ness. "That's a bit extreme, don't you think? The guy was nearly killed. If he was trying to cover up involvement in it, there are ways that don't come with the risk of a broken neck."

Ness grimaced, looking a little embarrassed. "Good point, Captain. I'm just going to shut up now."

"Might be a good idea." Levi folded his arms over his chest. "So we know the lord probably didn't arrange it. If the motive is to keep the commoner population down, I've got to wonder if it's money related. We all know how greedy some of those rich pigs are."

"True," Hange sighed. "I have another theory, though."

"Please share," Erwin invited with a nod at her.

"I warn you, it's going to sound a bit far-fetched," Hange explained, "but what if the person behind this isn't an ordinary human being at all? The Colossal and Armored titans had to have _some_ reason for breaching the walls. If we can't seal that breach and reclaim those lands, we'll be left vulnerable. It makes me wonder if this whole thing was done for a more strategic purpose. We already suspect that both of our titan antagonists are shifters like our Eren, and they could be hiding amongst the human population, right under our noses. What if they know that getting into the basement of the Jaeger home is part of our goal, and _that's_ what they're trying to prevent? Something important is in there...something about the origin of the titans. Someone doesn't want us to discover that secret, I'm sure of it."

"So you think a titan shifter arranged this?" Eld's brows went up. "Why wouldn't they just attack the walls again?"

"Because they want something within these walls," Erwin mused, "and I suspect it has something to do with Eren Jaeger."

"Hold on," Levi said, brows pinching. "If they're after Eren, then maybe _our_ abduction wasn't part of the original plan."

Moblit spoke up, then. "But the ransom note, sir. They specifically threatened to kill you and the commander if we tried to go ahead with the reclamation."

"Maybe that was just a bonus," suggested Levi. "We don't really know what their intentions were for Eren and it's all been guesswork."

"If their primary target was Eren," provided the commander, "then they needed to wait for the right moment. If we consider that possibility, the only time Eren has not been surrounded by members of the Scout Legion was when the three of us traveled to Stohess. They couldn't completely separate him from his allies, so they moved against the three of us and counted on subterfuge to achieve their goal. Keeping Levi and I may have simply been an insurance policy to deter our regiment's goals."

"They need him for something," Levi muttered thoughtfully. "Maybe they want that key around his neck. Could be they want something in that basement."

"Possibly," agreed Erwin. "The investigation will continue, but we are not going to put off our next planned expedition. It will commence as scheduled, and we will continue to push closer to our goal. With perseverance and determination, I'm confident that we can eventually flush the enemy out. Until then, we'll continue on as we have been—albeit with greater care. Mike, I require you and Nanaba at my side from now on whenever I need to travel to the capital. I don't expect the enemy to make another move so soon after the first abduction attempt, but I don't intend to put any of us in a vulnerable position for them to try."

Mike nodded. "You got it, chief. Where does that leave Kirstein's training, though?"

Erwin sighed. "We'll just have to continue with that when we have the time, just as Hange does for Mikasa when her research doesn't get in the way of it."

"Honestly, Mikasa's doing just fine," Hange informed. "She can continue with regular training, and she knows to come to me with any questions she might have."

Nobody was surprised to hear that Mikasa was excelling in her alpha training. Erwin checked his notes. "Well, this concludes the meeting, Remember, the next supply base expedition will begin on Monday next week. If there are any further developments in the investigation, I'll have everyone informed."

* * *

While the men they'd rounded up from the building they'd been held in were prosecuted in a court of law, no further information leading to the main protagonist was discovered. The kidnappers claimed that someone paid them a handsome sum to conduct the kidnapping, but they had never actually gotten the chance to meet the individual in person. They did give the description of the individual's underling, who had acted in his or her stead and delivered the proposal and the money to them. They'd been told they would get additional payment once the plotter "collected" their prize, and just as suspected, Eren Jaeger was meant to be it.

Erwin kept his own investigative team on it while the scouts prepared to ride out on their latest expedition. Just as he'd promised, he wasn't allowing the situation to interfere with their mission plans. As Eren fell into formation with the Levi squad, close to his guardian as commanded, he watched Erwin up ahead of them. The bells rang and people watched from the street as the Survey Corps rode out on Erwin's command, as soon as the gate was raised.

"Pay attention, Eren," Levi called warningly upon noticing how fixated the boy's gaze was. "You're starting to drift."

Embarrassed, Eren corrected his position in the ranks with a low apology. He noticed Mikasa watching him, and he cursed himself for being so obviously smitten. He hadn't spoken to any of his friends about his crush. He didn't even know how such a conversation could begin, and he knew that Mikasa at least would have something unflattering to say about it. She understood by now that Eren wasn't interested in her as more than a friend, but he'd avoided telling her that he had an interest in anyone else. It was embarrassing to want a man Eren knew he didn't stand a chance in hell of getting with.

Eren yelped as they rode past a crumbling building to the right, and there was a great crash. A gigantic hand swung out from seemingly out of nowhere, and he was forced to break formation entirely to avoid getting snatched up. Eren ducked low over his mount, swallowing rising panic and trying to keep his wits. He heard Levi shout a sting of expletives, followed by the hiss of gas. Eren dared to look back over his shoulder, and he saw the captain whirling through the air toward the ten meter titan that had nearly caught Eren.

With a grunt, Levi slashed at the creature's eyes before redirecting his grapplers and coming back around to finish it. The titan's thick lips pulled into a confused grimace as it stumbled blindly, and then the back of its neck sprayed hot blood. It fell to the broken street with a crash, and Levi sped through the air toward his horse. Petra had the stallion's reins, and she released them once Levi landed in the saddle.

Up ahead, Erwin was looking back at them, having heard the brief skirmish.

"He's all right," Levi called out to the scout commander. "Just a little shaken. Right, Eren?"

The shifter nodded and swallowed. "Y-yes sir. I'm okay." He rode in closer to the captain...possibly closer than necessary, but after such a close call he felt like sticking like glue to Levi. The support team went after another titan on the left that had been drawn to the presence of the galloping humans. They'd cleared the way as much as possible before the main platoon rode out, but it never took long for more titans to wander into the route.

"Long-distance formation!" Shouted Erwin once they made it past the village and got out in the open.

The platoon spread out, and Eren exchanged a wave with Armin as their respective squads parted ways. This was always the hardest part of these expeditions; watching his dearest friends head off in a different direction and wondering if it would be the last time he saw them alive again. He'd even be sad if Jean perished, Eren realized. The guy drove him nuts, but they'd trained together, fought together and buried their dead together. That formed a bond that went beyond personality clashes. Red flares went up from the left wing spotters, and Erwin fired a green flare to redirect the platoon. So far, so good.

* * *

Eren's conclusion that they were doing well proved to be premature. The right wing spotters came under heavy attack, and they sustained too many losses to continue on. Erwin ordered the formation to tighten and the platoon was forced to flee from pursuit. There were too many titans to risk confronting, and Hange and Levi's teams had to break away to cut down a handful of the creatures that got too close to the main command squad. Eren considered shifting, but Levi sharply ordered him to just stick with the formation and keep running.

Eren caught sight of Sasha's terrified face when the huntress came charging with her team mates from the left. There was blood all over her cloak and jacket; human blood. Eren realized then that her squad leader wasn't with her. In fact, only two of her squad mates were at her side. It wasn't hard to guess what happened to the others, given the blood and matter clinging to their uniforms. Eren saw brain matter on one of the guy's sleeves, and he nearly gagged.

"Sasha," he called, holding back his gorge, "you okay?"

She gave him a devastated look. "I'm not hurt, but I'm not okay. They ate them right in front of us!"

Eren nudged a little closer to her. "Stick by me, okay? Looks like we're outrunning them, and when we're clear again we'll probably take a rest break."

She nodded, taking comfort in his presence. "What about the others? Have you seen anyone? Connie? Ymir? Mikasa?"

Eren looked around, just as worried as she was. He scowled when he looked behind them and saw a big twelve meter titan with ratty black hair and bugging eyes running after the rear flank. He so badly wanted to engage the bastard, but Levi had explicitly ordered him to keep pace with the front middle flank and don't stop.

"I can see Krista and Ymir back there with their squad. Looks like all of them made it through. I don't see the others yet."

Shit, he hoped they were all right.

"Look, there's Mikasa and Jean," Sasha pointed off to the back and the right.

Eren followed her indication and he breathed a little easier to see his adopted sister, Jean and a handful of other scouts from their team catching up with the platoon. There was still no sign of Armin or Connie. A messenger from the outer left flank came riding hard toward Levi, his horse's mouth beginning to foam from exertion.

"Captain, Team Ness got routed, sir! They had to make a run for the copse of giant trees off to the east." The scout pointed at said vegetation. It wasn't a forest, but there were enough of the ancient trees for a group of scouts to take cover in and stay out of titan reach. "They were alive, the last I saw them. About ten titans followed them."

"We have to go and get them," Eren begged. Connie and Armin were assigned to that team on this run.

"Damn it." Levi compressed his lips, and he looked at Eren.

"Please, sir," implored the shifter. "We can't abandon live men!" Corpses were one thing. Sometimes body recovery wasn't possible. Living men and women, however...

Levi again proved that the importance of his comrade's lives was greater to him than obtaining a goal faster. "Eren, ride up with me to the main command flank."

"Yes sir," answered the young man hopefully. Maybe the captain had a plan to rescue their comrades. Together, they made their way through the ranks up to Erwin and Mike.

"We've got a problem," Levi informed the commander when Erwin gave him a puzzled glance.

"Of what sort?" asked Erwin. "We're losing our pursuit, and we aren't far from our destination on the map."

"Dita Ness and his team are trapped in a growth of giant trees back to the east. Circumstances prevented them from rejoining the formation, and they had to break off and take cover in there. They're reportedly still alive, but surrounded."

Erwin's expression darkened. "How many do they face?"

"Ten, according to what was reported to me." Levi gave his commander an intense, determined look. "You know my team and I can handle that."

Erwin gave Eren a meaningful glance.

"The brat can stick by you in your squad until we get back," Levi proposed. "He should be safe enough with you and Mike at his side."

"I would prefer you remain and your team join forces with some of Hange's team to deal with the matter, as agreed in the expedition briefing."

"How fast do you want this taken care of?" Levi said bluntly.

Erwin frowned, and then sighed. "Very well. Under the circumstances I'll allow it. If you find more titans in the area than reported, or if more begin to swarm you, I expect you to send for backup."

"Of course." Levi turned to Eren. "Stay in this position, Eren. For now, the same rule applies to the commander as it does for me. Stick close to him."

Eren nodded, feeling a shiver of apprehension. This was probably the first time his captain had ever left his side during an expedition. Not that he didn't have faith in Commander Erwin and Squad Commander Mike, but he was used to being with Team Levi all the time.

"Good luck, sir."

* * *

"Hey Levi, where are you going?"

He heard his mate's call as he and his squad broke out of formation and galloped past her team, heading east to the copse of giant trees. "Rescuing Team Ness," he called over his shoulder to her. "Stay in formation and keep an eye on center command while I'm gone."

"Oh shit," he thought he heard her say. He didn't have time to say more to her. He took up the front, with Eld, Gunther, Petra and Oluo following in a v formation behind him. As they approached the vegetation where their comrades were hopefully safe in the trees and alive, Levi spotted his first target; a fifteen meter standing on the outside of the grove. The creature was slapping and clawing at one of the largest specimens of trees on the outer ring, obviously intent on someone up in its branches. A purple flare went up, probably the second one fired since they got trapped. Levi retrieved his own flare gun and he fired a plain, white flare to signal them that help was on the way.

Putting his flare gun away, the Captain prepared himself to engage, thighs bunching as he began to climb up on his horse's saddle. "Watch yourselves," he cautioned to his team. "Take care of the ones hanging around on the outside before trying to go in deeper. You know these trees are as good for hiding their numbers as they are for ODM use."

"Yes sir," they called in unison.

"Split up into pairs and engage," ordered Levi. This big one we're coming up on is mine."

Team leave broke off from one another, with Eld and Gunther teaming up, while Petra and Oluo did the same. Wires shot out from their release mechanisms, harpooning the trunks in strategic positions. Levi soared in on his gear, reversing his grip on his right blade as he closed in. He gave a little grunt as he twisted his body and came down spinning. He didn't perform anything fancier with this one, not wishing to dull his blades more than necessary. When it went down, he heard Ness hollering up above. Levi changed his swing to fly up to the branch Dita was on.

"Captain Levi, am I ever happy to see you," said the section leader with a salute. "These bastards were between us and the main platoon. I made a judgment call when we realized we'd have to fight our way through them on level terrain to join the rest of you."

Levi nodded. "Good call. How is everyone's gear? Any injuries or casualties?"

"Luke hurt his arm, so he's out of the fight," answered Dita. "Arlert isn't much of a fighter, but his equipment's still good and he's not hurt. Springer's good to go and so is Calvin."

"All right, then get everyone paired up and start cutting. The more of us taking these things down, the sooner we can get out of here and make it back to the platoon."

Dita nodded. "Hell yes, sir."

* * *

When they outdistance their pursuit, the platoon stopped for a rest, and to wait for Levi and the others to get back. Erwin fired a green flare straight up, for the purpose of letting the others know their current position. He noticed Eren frantically digging around in his saddlebags, and he dismounted and walked over to the shifter.

"Did you lose something?"

Eren looked up at the commander, and he very nearly told him. It felt too irresponsible and it was too embarrassing, though. "There's a rip in my left saddlebag, sir. I guess it happened sometime while we were on the run, or back when we first started out. I lost a few things out of it."

"I see." Erwin gave him an encouraging smile. "Well, I'm sure it's nothing that can't be replaced, Eren. We have plenty of rations and medical supplies, so if you need to refresh your personal stash you shouldn't hesitate."

Eren grimaced, but he entertained the slim hope that what he needed the most of the items he'd lost might be found in the medical supplies. Hange usually thought ahead. Maybe she'd prepared for this sort of thing and thought to include backup supplies of specific medication that only certain members of the platoon might find themselves in need of.

"I'll check, sir. Thanks for the suggestion."

Eren patted his horse, and he went to rummage through the two remaining medical supply wagons first, his thoughts being only on one thing. He found not trace of what he needed in either, and he bit his lip. They'd had a third medical supply wagon in their ranks, but they'd lost it and its drivers when they came under heavy attack and had to flee. If there had been suppressants on that wagon, they were gone now.

With a sigh, Eren hoped that he wouldn't even need the medication before they got back. He hadn't been keeping track, and he couldn't recall just when his last cycle had been. As he waited for the captain to return and busied himself with a ration snack, he wondered if he should approach Hange with the problem.

* * *

The Levi squad returned with all of Team Ness intact and more or less whole. Other than some minor injuries, everyone was all right and there were no casualties. Once they rejoined the platoon and rested up a bit themselves, Erwin completed a head count of whom they'd lost, who was missing in action and how many bodies they had managed to recover. They pressed on to their goal, avoiding titan encounters whenever possible. Luck was with them on the second leg; they made it to the chosen site of their next base camp by sunset. Erwin sent Levi and Hange's teams out on a scouting mission along with a couple of other selected teams; including the one Mikasa and Jean were a part of. They went east, west, north and south respectively. The idea was to ride out at least a mile from the supply base camp and circle around clockwise before returning, taking out any titans they found in the vicinity to ensure the platoon would have less to deal with and could do their work in relative peace.

Eren was to stay behind. The only members of his original training squad that weren't included in the scouting mission were Armin, Sasha and Connie. They helped set up buildings for supplies, clearing the ones in the best condition of un-necessary furniture and junk to make room for Survey Corps supplies in them. Sasha ended up on first watch of lookout duty until nightfall, and then Mike and a few others would take over once it got dark. His ability to smell titans from a long range made him more valuable at night, when it would be hard to see any titans still able to move around without daylight.

Erwin was physically helping with some of it, to Eren's surprise. He not only directed the squadron's efforts, but he helped lift and carry heavy crates and other objects. As Eren watched him squat down to pick up one such supply crate, he started to feel a tingle. He tried to brush it off as his imagination, but it got stronger, and the temperature around him felt like it was beginning to rise.

"Shit," muttered Eren. This wasn't good. Levi and Hange weren't around. Neither was Mikasa. He thought about finding Armin and saying something to him about it, but the blond was nowhere to be seen, probably on the other side of camp. It was coming on fast, just like it had the day Jean pinned Eren down. He started to feel moisture in the back of his pants, and he didn't know if he could make it to Armin for help before the condition overcame him. He didn't know if Armin could even help him, save try to comfort him. Eren needed—as much as it sickened him to admit it—a guardian to watch over him. Someone he could trust until Levi came back.

There was only one person in camp right now that fit the bill, and it was ironic that Levi had only grudgingly agreed on seeking out the man's help as a last resort.

* * *

"That's good," approved Erwin. "Stack them just like that. We'll arrange the partly depleted crates on top of the fully stocked ones, for ease of access and organization. I think that we should also—"

He felt a timid poke on his left shoulder blade before he could complete his next sentence, and the commander detected a cloying scent before he even turned around. Eren Jaeger stood there at the entrance of the building, looking like he wanted to yell or cry or both. "I'm sorry for interrupting, Commander, but there's...an urgent matter I need to talk to you about."

"Excuse me," Eren said politely to the other scouts. He gave Eren's shoulder a brief squeeze and he walked out of the structure. When the boy followed him, Erwin directed their steps away from the building and the foot traffic of other soldiers so that they could have a moment of privacy.

"What is it, Eren?"

The shifter swallowed, and his green-gold eyes seemed a bit glazed, the pupils growing wider by the second. "I dropped my suppressants somewhere," whispered Eren, flushing. "Probably while we were retreating, sir. I don't have any idea where they fell out. They were in the saddlebag that ripped."

Erwin briefly shut his eyes. He could smell the fragrance coming from Eren more strongly, now that he wasn't preoccupied with something else. "And your heat is starting."

Eren nodded, and he squirmed in place and clenched his jaw. "It's that obvious? It...it just started."

"This close, it is," Erwin told him. "Damn." Hange and Levi might not be back for at least another hour, and even betas could be drawn sexually to an omega if the heat was strong enough.

Erwin gentled his tone when he heard a soft groan of distress from Eren. He opened his eyes to gaze into the shifter's. "Come with me, Eren. I'll see to it you aren't disturbed."

Eren's legs started to buckle, and Erwin quickly put an arm around him to support him, mindful not to touch him inappropriately in the process. "Thank you sir," murmured the young omega. "Captain said I could come to you if this ever happened."

"Did he?" Erwin's brows went up slightly. "That surprises me. I presume I was a last choice."

"Well..." Eren looked away. "Sort of. I'm so sorry, Commander. I didn't mean to lose them."

"Of course you didn't," soothed Erwin. "Right now, we'll concern ourselves with getting you to my tent." He felt that if Eren were in his personal tent, it might deter anyone drawn to his scent from trying to go in. "Easy, Jaeger. Try to keep your feet moving. We're nearly there."

Erwin started to break into a sweat. He wanted to avoid scooping the boy up and carrying him, because that would only cause his alpha instincts to flare stronger. He spotted Armin on his way from the other side of the camp, apparently coming to fetch something. Erwin motioned at the blond scholar with his free arm.

"Arlert, come here."

Armin gave a start, and when he saw the way the commander was supporting his best friend, he hurried over without question. "What happened? Are you okay, Eren?"

"Come inside with us," urged the commander, pulling open his tent flap. "We'll discuss it in here."

"Yes sir."

Armin followed anxiously as Erwin helped Eren into the commander's tent and eased him down onto the sleeping pallet near the back of it. Eren wouldn't let go of his jacket, and the alpha had to gently pry the boy's fingers off of it. Erwin got up and he glanced sidelong at Armin, who had come up beside him to gaze down at his friend with concern.

"Stay in here with him," ordered the commander. "I'll bring water, a bowl, some washrags. Eren needs someone he can trust to tend to him until Hange returns."

"Sir?" Armin's worried stare never left Eren as the shifter started moaning and panting, curling up into a ball on the pallet. "What about you?"

"I'll stand guard outside the tent," Erwin promised. "I intend to send riders out to locate Hange's squad and bring her back. The others will finish the rest of the perimeter scouting."

With that said, Erwin excused himself from the tent and he hailed the first scout he saw, ordering them to fetch what he required. She saluted him and rushed off to do his bidding. Mike came up with a frown on his face a moment later, sniffing the air in the direction of Erwin's tent.

"It's Jaeger," Erwin stated flatly before his friend could even ask.

Mike nodded. "Got his heat?"

"Yes, and you're to keep your distance."

Mike stepped back, and he folded his arms over his chest. "Hmph. What about you, chief? You're just as alpha as I am."

Erwin didn't deny it. "Hence why I'm standing out here, rather than in there with Eren. I've got Armin taking care of him. I need you to pick a team and ride out to rendezvous with Team Hange. Inform her of what's going on and bring her back here with you."

"You don't want us to tell Levi?"

Erwin sighed. "It's a difficult situation, my friend. If you can split your group up to send a couple of riders to inform Levi, then do it. Otherwise, it will just have to wait until he returns. Our medics are all currently occupied with tending the wounded. Hange knows the proper medication to give to Eren. Finding her and bringing her back is your first priority in this matter."

Mike nodded. "I can see the logic. I'll handle it."

"Thank you, Mike."

Eren watched his second-in-command sprint off to deal with his task. He took a deep breath, and he wished he hadn't. Eren's heat scent was getting strong enough to detect even without Mike's sense of smell and with the tent flap shut. Regardless of his own growing sense of urgency, Erwin stood diligently where he was, only moving to allow the female soldier to enter his tent with the water and other items he'd sent her to fetch. She didn't linger, and once she left, the commander tied the tent flap shut again.

"Hurry, Hange," Erwin muttered under his breath.

* * *

-To be continued

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> End of chapter recap (these things really do keep getting longer):
> 
> Hange: "Wow, that was resolved fast."
> 
> Erwin: "Considering you cut down our opposition like wheat in a field, of course it went fast."
> 
> Levi: "Damn it, just thinking about that gives me a hard-on."
> 
> Hange: "Oh, really? Well, I know what we're going to be doing at the earliest convenience!"
> 
> Levi: "Shit. I just sullied the bathwater."
> 
> Hange: "You know Levi, you probably aren't the first."
> 
> Levi: "...You just had to tell me that, didn't you?"
> 
> Eren: *Rides off in a random direction* "Damn, the commander has a nice ass."
> 
> Levi: "Eren, pay attention! Ah shit, now you've got a titan on you."
> 
> Eren: "Whoops. I'm sorry!"
> 
> Team Ness: "Halp! We're up a tree!"
> 
> Erwin: "Levi, take your squad and get the kittens down from the tree."
> 
> Mike: "Erwin, did you hit your head? They're not—"
> 
> Levi: "He was trying to make a joke, idiot."
> 
> Erwin: "And Eren?"
> 
> Levi: "He can stick with your squad while we take care of the kitt—er...Team Ness."
> 
> Erwin. "I see."
> 
> Levi: "...that better not have been a leer I just saw on your face."
> 
> Eren: *Has the worst luck ever* "NOOOOO! They're gone!"
> 
> Erwin: "What's the matter?" 
> 
> Eren: "N-nothing! It's nothing, sir!"
> 
> Eren (a short while later): "Um, Commander? You know that 'nothing' from earlier? Well, it's actually something and I need your dick...erp! I MEAN I NEED YOU TO GUARD ME."
> 
> Erwin: "I will guard you with my life. I will not take advantage. I will...not...take...fuck, I need a cold shower."


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: This chapter contains an Erwin/Eren lemon.

Hange rode into camp like she had lightning on her heels, which Erwin was grateful for. They'd managed to get word out to her squad about Eren's condition, and she went straight for the commander's tent as soon as she came in and broke away from her team. Hange hopped down off her horse, allowing a younger scout guide it away. Her expression was serious as she approached the command tent. "How long has he been in this condition?" Her nostrils flared as she picked up on the heat scent coming from within the tent.

"Not long," Erwin explained, tense and frustrated. "It came on quickly, just after you and Levi's teams departed for your assignments."

Hange heard a tortured moan from inside. She started to go in, but she found her way blocked by Erwin. Looking up at the man, she could see a drop of sweat glistening at his temple. She could tell by the tense set of his shoulders that he was doing everything in his power to stay composed, and she felt sorry for him.

"Erwin, unlike you, I'm on suppressants," reminded Hange gently. "You can let me pass."

He blinked, seeming to snap himself out of a daze. "Of course. My mind is so set on guarding him, I didn't..." he trailed off with a sigh, distracted.

Hange offered him a consoling smile, and she reached up to pat the commander's shoulder. "What a protective alpha you are, and a gentleman, too! Hang in there, big guy. We'll do what we can for Eren."

Erwin took a slow breath, and he nodded. His sense of control was wearing thin. For the sake of his young, ailing soldier, he forced aside his alpha instincts with a sharp reminder to himself that he wasn't some beast, enslaved to his mating urges. He had to be better than that. Eren _deserved_ better than that from his commander. Even if it killed him, Erwin was not going to let that boy down.

* * *

"Shh, there darling," Hange whispered to the ailing omega as she patted his face with a cool, wet cloth. "You're doing just fine."

Panting rapidly, Eren cracked his eyes open to look up at Hange and Armin with a pleading expression. Now lying naked under the sheets, he just couldn't seem to get comfortable no matter how he squirmed. Getting out of his clothing helped a bit, but he was tempted to yank aside the sheets covering his nudity. Only Hange's presence kept him from acting on that urge.

"How long will he be like this?" Armin asked softly. "I'd read that some heats can go on for nearly three full days! Eren can't be expected to ride in this condition."

"I know, dear," Hange sighed. "Truthfully, it depends on the individual. If the condition isn't relieved as nature intends it to be, a heat _can_ linger for days. The fastest way to put a stop to it is...well...sex. Once its initial demands are met, most heats start cycling back down. Damn it, I feel like such a fool for not anticipating this!"

Eren swallowed, and he looked up at her guiltily. "But...you couldn't have known. My...suppressants were...working fine."

Hange stroked his hair soothingly. "Yes, but I should have considered the possibility of you or Levi missing a dosage of suppressants while out on this expedition, whether because of something happening to your prescription or other circumstances preventing you from taking it in time. If I'd been thinking clearly enough, I would have had the common sense to have back-up suppressants available in the medical supply wagon. As it is, I don't even have emergency suppressants to give you."

"So...nothing can be done to...make this go away?" Eren curled onto his side and he moaned, aching with the need to touch himself but unwilling to act on it in front of Armin and Hange.

Hange sighed, lowering her gaze thoughtfully. She glanced over at Armin, and she gave him a nod. "Armin, let's step outside and give Eren a moment alone."

The blue-eyed scholar looked at his friend uncertainly. "Should he really be alone at all right now?"

"He won't be for long," promised Hange. Levi was not going to like this one bit, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

* * *

Erwin stared at Hange as if she'd grown a second head. "I beg your pardon?"

Hange calmly repeated herself. "I have nothing to give Eren to relieve his heat. It's going to get worse before it gets better, and it's a long trip back to the walls. I think you'll need to take care of this."

Erwin raised a brow, and his steps slowed. They'd walked to the edge of the encampment together to discuss Eren's situation while Armin stood guard outside the command tent. Hange stopped with him, and she regarded him without any hint of teasing in her expression.

"Am I to understand," said the commander carefully, "that you are suggesting I bed Eren Jaeger?"

"If you don't, there's a chance some other alpha might." Hange shrugged. "His pheromones are through the roof already. Even on suppressants, I was even a bit effected by it. I know we can trust Mike not to lose his head and answer the call of nature, but we also have Jean and Mikasa to think of. It isn't just the alphas we need to worry about either, Erwin. You know sometimes betas react to an omega's heat scent, too."

"I've already given my oath that nothing will happen between Eren and I," protested the blond with a frown. "I could scent mark him to ward off other alphas and keep him under tight guard until his condition ebbs or we return to headquarters."

"I don't think that's going to be enough," mused Hange. "You saw him with your own eyes, Erwin. That boy is suffering, and he hasn't had enough experience with heats to be expected to simply cope with it."

Erwin sighed, and he looked out at the horizon with a tightened jaw. "You realize what you're asking me isn't as simple as bedding Jaeger and calling it a day. I've already responded to his scent, and I'm doing my damndest to stay away before it triggers a rut."

Hange smirked at him. "Yes, and you're being very noble in trying...however, if it has such a strong, immediate effect on you, it could be nature trying to tell you something."

Erwin grimaced. He'd had this argument before, more times than he cared to recall. Hange knew damned well how he felt about committing himself to a life partner while he still had a duty to humanity.

"Would it really be so bad?" Hange pressed, seeing him wavering. "As loyal as Eren is to you and to the scouts, this would make his devotion unbreakable. If you were his mate, you could track him no matter where he goes. Since Eren has a talent for getting himself kidnapped, that could work to our advantage. If not from a romantic standpoint, think of it from a tactical one. Also take into consideration that in his sexual frustration, Eren could accidentally assume titan form. Just imagine him losing control completely because his heat became unbearable. That's dangerous, Erwin."

Erwin went still. Her arguments were actually making a crazy sort of sense, and that had him worried that his judgment was even more compromised than he'd thought. "Either I'm going mad, or you've proposed the most logical solution to a difficult issue."

Hange smiled. "You're welcome. Sooo, shall we get you back to your tent? The sooner this matter is dealt with, the safer Eren and everyone around him will be."

Erwin narrowed his eyes at her. "And what of Levi? How do you think he'll react when he returns if I go through with this?"

"You just leave the tiny captain to me," Hange said firmly. "I'll handle Levi and keep him from interfering."

Erwin sighed. He could hardly believe he was considering doing this, and he told himself the primary motivation of going along with it was for the greater good. If only his groin would agree with him on that.

* * *

Erwin carefully tied up the flap of the tent behind him, focusing on the task with extreme concentration so as not to allow the scent of the occupant behind him drive him to distraction.

"Eren," he said softly, "We have nothing available medically to give you for this, until we return to the walls."

"I…I know sir."

The boy's gasping response sounded so desperate and pained. Erwin shut his eyes and he begged himself for calm. He hadn't mated with an omega in heat for years, and Eren was still so young. He never would have considered doing this if he thought the condition could be managed some other way. He'd even suggested they send Mikasa in to take care of it, seeing as she was Eren's closest friend and stood no risk of getting him with child. Hange flatly informed him that while Eren might accept her in his desperation, he had no desire for her.

Erwin felt his pulse quickening, his blood singing in his veins. He was going into a rut. The only defense he had from the powerful pheromones Jaeger was giving off was his own strength of will, and that was quickly cracking and shattering under the assault to his senses. He turned slowly, hunching down slightly to avoid bumping his head on the ceiling of the tent as he regarded the panting young shifter lying on the pallet. Eren's gear harness and clothing had been removed to help him breathe easier and stay cooler. Someone had sprinkled water on his body to help cool it a bit, and droplets of the liquid combined with sweat rolled over Eren's smooth, tanned skin. The bright, green-gold gaze stared up at Erwin, heavy-lidded and pleading.

"Sir, I'm sorry," offered the shifter. "I d-didn't mean to drop them."

Erwin gentled his piercing gaze, and he gave Eren a reassuring little smile. "I know. We were fleeing for our lives, Eren. It isn't your fault that the suppressants fell out through the tear in your saddlebags."

"So what…can I do?" Eren's gaze traveled the commander's form with blatant desire, and he quickly rolled over with a blush and a groan. "Damn it! Commander…I'm sorry but…I think you should go."

Erwin walked over to the pallet slowly, arguing with himself the entire time. He knelt down before it, and he reached out to gently roll Eren back towards him to face him. "I think we're both past the point of that option now, Eren."

The key hanging from the chain around Eren's neck flashed in the dim lantern light, and it rested against his left pectoral. He looked up at Erwin and he made a cross between a whining and groaning sound in his throat. "It hurts…"

"I know it does." Erwin reached out to stroke the disheveled, rich brown hair. It was soft to the touch, and he did it again. He tried not to breathe through his nose. Eren's heat scent was already on the verge of driving him mad. "I'm sorry, Eren. I need to ask you this, however. Do you consent?"

"Consent?" Eren's pupils expanded in the center of the irises of amber and green. Eren didn't seem to understand his meaning.

"We can treat your condition together," explained Erwin softly. His pulsed surged harder, faster. His groin swelled in his uniform pants. "I'm sure it isn't what you imagined for your first time. This should have happened with someone your own age…someone you care for."

"I _do_ care for you, sir," gasped Eren. He moaned, and he reached beneath the now soaked sheets to impulsively touch himself, desperate for relief. "I don't want anyone my own age that way. I d-don't want to just get with someone because I c-can't control myself. I trust you."

Erwin sighed, and in doing so, he caught a strong whiff of Eren's scent. It made him dizzy with lust, and he had to take a moment to compose himself. It was a damned good thing Jaeger trusted him, because his heat had triggered Erwin's rut and if they went through with this…

~I'll be doing the very thing I promised myself I would never do while caught up in this struggle. I'll become mated to someone. Worse than that; I'll be mated to a subordinate less than half my age.~

"Eren," whispered the commander, cupping the younger man's chin. "Look at me."

The shifter's eyes met his again, and Erwin used the last of his restraint to make the situation very clear to him. "This is going to cause a pair-bond to form between us. Do you understand what that means?"

Eren nodded, trembling. "Yes. Captain Levi explained…a lot to me. A lot of things that I never knew."

"Good." Erwin removed his cloak and his jacket. He started unfastening his gear harness, keeping his eyes locked with the younger man's. "I wanted to be sure it was clear to you, before I go through with this."

Eren sat up, letting the sheets fall to his waist. He started unbuttoning Erwin's shirt with shaking fingers, surprising the alpha with his initiative. "I understand. I don't care."

"Nobody will disturb us," husked Erwin, "but the entire platoon is going to know about this before the day is finished. If anyone breathes an insulting or negative word to you, Eren, I want you to inform me immediately. I won't have you belittled; especially as my omega."

"W-what if the Captain says something?" Eren started to kiss Erwin's throat, and low, needy sounds emitted from the shifter all the while.

"Even if it's Levi," confirmed Erwin, jaw tightening. He pulled his gear free and he grunted softly as he set it aside and pushed it out of the way. There was a hiss from one of the gas canisters when his boot pressed down briefly on one of the triggers, but fortunately, it didn't fire the grappler. What a messy start to mating that would have been; to punch a hole through the tent with his anchoring barbs. "The captain may be your guardian and my right-hand man, but he isn't an exception to what I expect from my soldiers in this matter."

It was as simple as that. Erwin would still honor Levi's position as Eren's guardian, and if it ever did come to a point where the shifter had to be put down, Erwin wouldn't interfere with that. Even if it killed him to allow it—especially with a mated bond between them—the commander would not put his relationship above the protection of humanity. He believed Eren knew as much and understood that. He knew in his soul that the boy would accept his fate without resentment for either him or Levi, but in his heart, Erwin prayed that day would not come.

"Eren," he murmured breathlessly as the material of his shirt parted. He started to take off his bolo tie, but Eren stopped him.

"Would you leave it on?" gasped Eren. "Please?"

Again, Erwin was surprised. He knew he probably shouldn't be, but he had forgotten what the drive of an omega's heat could do to inhibitions. "Yes. We can leave it on."

Erwin cupped Eren's chin, tilting the shifter's head back to claim his lips. He brushed his tongue back and forth between them until they parted, and then he delved in to caress Eren's tongue with his own. A shudder went through the omega's body, and Eren's hands clutched at Erwin's shirt, yanking it open further. Erwin slipped out of his harness, freeing the torso straps from the connecting pelvic ones. He felt a seam pop in the crotch of his pants, and he sighed with irritation.

"A moment, Eren." Erwin broke the kiss and pulled away. He nearly smirked when the omega whimpered in frustration. "I'm sorry to break contact, but I really need to get out of these pants before they get ruined. They're my last clean pair until we have the opportunity to wash anything."

"Oh." Eren swallowed, and he cupped both hands over his own swollen groin, biting his lip. "I get it, sir."

Erwin smiled at him in a pained manner, and he reached out with one hand to trace the kiss-swollen lips with his fingertips. His other hand worked at his pants to get them open. "I believe we can put aside the formalities, Eren. There's no need for you to address me as your superior right now."

"Okay…Erwin." The young man smiled back at him, speaking his name without prefacing it with his rank as if tasting it. "Feels weird to just call you by your name."

"Give it time," suggested the alpha. He fumbled with his pants with both hands, now, aching to be free of them. "Help me with my remaining harness straps and boots, would you?"

"You got it."

Eren eagerly started working the buckles of said straps, and he kissed Erwin's throat as he hurriedly assisted him to get them off. The shifter attacked the attire with the same vigor in which he attacked titans, treating them like enemies that were in his way. He growled with frustration when he couldn't get one of the buckles immediately open, and he tugged hard enough to give Erwin a bit of a wedgie. Erwin winced, but instead of remonstrating his companion for it, he laughed softly.

"Perhaps you should just focus on the boots, Eren."

"S-sorry," apologized the young man. His moist, warm lips left the commander's throat, and he scooted down to tug the leather boots off for him.

"It's perfectly all right," assured Erwin, amused despite the nagging urges of his intensifying rut.

He needed to work faster. His patience had limits, and he didn't want his passion to fog his senses to the point where he hurt Eren. Reminding himself that he was about to claim a virgin, Erwin stifled his impulses and he concentrated on ridding himself of his remaining straps and his pants. His lips met Eren's in a deep kiss, and he closed his eyes as he savored the taste and texture of the young omega's mouth and tongue. His heart was pounding aggressively, and it startled Erwin a bit. Perhaps he liked this boy more than he'd even realized. He'd had no trouble admitting he found Eren attractive, even when he thought he was too young for him. He'd admitted to himself that he genuinely cared for the shifter. What the commander hadn't anticipated, however, was for Jaeger's kiss to make his pulse race this much.

"Eren," he murmured, breaking the kiss to suck gently at the boy's throat, just under the right side of Eren's jaw.

"Commander," responded Eren in a low, breathy voice.

Their combined efforts finally resulted in the loss of Erwin's pants, and Eren drew back to stare at the alpha. Those expressive, pretty eyes of his widened when Eren saw Erwin's naked arousal, and his throat visibly worked as he swallowed.

"Holy shit," gasped Eren, his gaze fixated on the older man's genitalia. "You're huge, sir. I...I...oh my god..."

It wouldn't be the first time Erwin had gotten such a reaction from a partner, but somehow it was the most endearing. Eren's response to seeing him nude was so heartfelt and uninhibited. The commander smiled. "Don't be intimidated."

He took Eren's hand and he guided it to his jutting arousal, reckoning it was best for the omega to familiarize himself with it before they went any further. "It's all right, Eren. I promise you, I won't get rough. I won't hurt you."

Eren swallowed again, his fingers curling around the commander's girth. He gave it an experimental stroke, and he met Erwin's bright blue gaze. Cheeks flushed with arousal, Eren held Erwin's eyes as he pumped his hand slowly over the blond's length. "You're beautiful."

The compliment hit Erwin like a fist in the gut. He couldn't recall ever having been with someone so open, so innocent. Again, he was reminded of how young Eren was and if he weren't going into a rut, he might have backed out. It was too late for that now, though. Eren's condition needed to be addressed and now, Erwin was in a similar bind. He captured the shifter's mouth with his own in a deep kiss, and he reached down to pull the sheets out of the way. He gripped Eren's arousal to return his fondling, and the boy moaned. Eren's kiss became sloppy and a bit frantic as the commander pleasured him. It was obvious that nobody else had ever touched the young man this way, and Erwin was frankly surprised. With a face like his, eyes like those and such an attractive complexion, Jaeger should have at least fooled around with someone before.

"Sir," gasped Eren against Erwin's lips in an aching tone.

"Just Erwin," reminded the alpha. It would take time for the boy to feel comfortable enough to address him so familiarly, but Erwin thought reinforcing the concept with positive encouragement. After all, they would be mated after this. It was fitting and proper for Eren to continue addressing him by rank in public, but not in the bedroom...not as his mate.

"Right," panted Eren, smiling shyly at him. "It's going to take some getting used to. Unh...E-Erwin...feels so good..." He started rolling his pelvis, thrusting eagerly into the commander's persistent strokes. "Shit...I'm...I'm about to...ohhh!"

Erwin kissed him again, muffling the boy's gasping cries as Eren came in his hand. Eren tensed and shuddered, spurting hard with his climax. Erwin bore him down onto his back, settling between the young man's trembling thighs. He kept stroking him until his cock stopped twitching, and he slipped his hand lower to finger him. Eren's back arched, and he squeezed Erwin's erection impulsively as the commander eased a finger into his slippery, tight hole. Erwin murmured softly to him, encouragingly.

"Try to relax," instructed the alpha huskily. Eren was so tight, though his condition had started to cause natural dilation. Unwilling to rush it even though his rut was on the verge of driving Erwin mad, he pumped his finger slowly to encourage Eren's body to loosen up for him. "Eren, you're squeezing me a bit hard..."

"S-sorry," whimpered the boy, letting go of the blond's cock to grab his broad, muscular shoulders. "Did I hurt you?"

"No," assured Erwin, "though if you'd have kept going, you might have. You have quite the grip."

The open guilt on Eren's face prompted the commander to chuckle. "It's all right, Eren. Don't be afraid to touch me."

The shifter bit his lower lip, another moan surfacing in his throat as Erwin eased another finger into him. "I...probably shouldn't right now, Commander. It feels funny...oh...it feels...it feels good!"

Eren bucked beneath him, tossing his head. His dick was still hard, and it spurted again with a second orgasm. The boy groaned heavily and his expressive eyes widened with shock. "Again? So...soon? I...Erwin, I c-can't...oh fuck, it's...hah! Hunnhh!"

The climax kept going, drawn out by Erwin locating and massaging Eren's prostate. Pleased and enchanted with his young companion's responses, Erwin kissed Eren's throat and kept it up.

"Erwin," cried Eren desperately, his fingertips digging into the commander's flesh. "It won't stop! Oh, God!"

"Ride it out," advised Erwin softly between kisses. He could taste the sweat on his companion's heated skin. He ran his tongue over Eren's jaw, rubbing his aching cock against the boy's thigh. "It's okay, Eren. Don't be afraid of what's happening to your body."

Eren made a choking sound, and he lifted his head up to press his face against the blond's chest. His whole body trembled as the drawn-out orgasm continued, and when it finally ebbed, he fell back to the sleeping pallet bonelessly. His pupils were so wide that only a thin band of green-gold showed around them. Erwin gazed down at him, gently adding a third finger to the penetration.

"Are you all right?"

It was difficult to tell whether Eren was still lucid. This was the first time Erwin had seen him in a heat, and he didn't know if the boy was one of those omegas that went into a mating swoon or not.

"Yeah," gasped Eren, his vision focusing on the commander with open wonderment. "That was...amazing. I've never...felt anything so...intense."

Erwin smiled softly at him. Thank the walls, the boy still knew where he was and whom he was with. That came as a relief to the alpha. Regardless of expressed consent, he would have felt a bit like a lecher if Eren lost all coherency and self-awareness.

"Good. There's much more where that came from."

* * *

Eren thrashed and writhed as his commander continued to demonstrate his knowledge of how to pleasure an omega. He wasn't expecting the man to go down on him, and his shock at the feel of Erwin's mouth closing around his cock was quickly driven into the background by the wet pleasure. Eren's body was aching all over with the urgent need to be filled. Fingers weren't enough, though Erwin's were big and long, deep inside of him. Eren wasn't even sure of what he was saying any longer as he frantically begged his companion for more. Erwin kept advising him to be patient, but the shifter could feel the wet smear of the commander's precum against his leg, and he grabbed Erwin's shoulders as he came down his throat.

"Please," panted the young man. "Sir, I can't take anymore!"

Erwin allowed Eren's length to slide out of his mouth, and he positioned himself on top of him. He kissed the boy somewhat roughly, and Eren felt the smooth tip of his cock against his entrance. He clung to him, grabbing the commander's muscular ass eagerly. Erwin withdrew his fingers, and the moment they slipped out of Eren, his dick slid in with slow, steady deliberation. Eren's eyes went wide, his mouth falling open at the sensation of being filled with an alpha's cock for the first time. His eyes squeezed shut a second later and he shook with the force of the gratification he was getting. So big...so hard...it was bliss.

"Erwin!"

Eren couldn't help himself, and he shuddered again when Erwin was fully seated inside of him, balls deep. He didn't want it to end. He grabbed at the commander frantically when Erwin started to withdraw, shaking his head in protest. The blond slid home again, proving to Eren that he had nothing to worry about. He wasn't finished with him. Erwin started to pump; slowly at first. He stared down at Eren with a faintly tense expression, breathing heavily as he began to take him.

"How is it?" husked the commander. "Am I hurting you?"

"N-no," gasped Eren. He certainly wasn't hurting him. He was killing him in the best way. "Feels great. More...please...more..."

Erwin obliged him without question. Rocking against him, the commander hooked Eren's legs up and pushed them further apart and back, making the penetration even deeper. He grunted softly, his ass flexing with his pumps. He quickened his thrusts and put more force behind them. Eren made a mewling sound, eyes rolling back with ecstasy as his partner's cock nudged against that sweet spot inside of him.

"Commander," panted the shifter. His breathy cries increased in volume, and he went still with surprise when Erwin suddenly rolled over, taking him with him. Now straddling the blond man's hips with Erwin's thick length still wedged intimately within him, Eren placed his hands on the alpha's hard, muscular chest and he stared down at him with confused, wide eyes.

"Move as you wish, Eren," encouraged the commander. His hands settled on the younger man's ass, squeezing it briefly. "It's all right. If this position is painful for you, just tell me. We can try other positions as well."

Eren couldn't believe how calm Erwin's deep voice sounded. The man was breathing heavily and breaking into a sweat just like Eren, but he was still so much in control of himself. Eren started to squirm restlessly on him, biting his lip as he tried to figure out how to move. Erwin stared up at him with those intense blue eyes of his, his golden hair mussed in a sexy way. He smiled a little at the boy when Eren tried rocking back a little and yelped with pleasure.

"I take it that wasn't a sound of pain?" murmured Erwin.

Eren shook his head. "No. It...keeps pushing against...something inside that feels...I don't know. Almost like I have to pee, but it's really good. Is that normal?"

The alpha took one hand off of Eren's ass to grip his cock and begin stroking it. "Yes, it's normal if the angle is just right. Don't worry."

Erwin began to pump his hips slowly, holding Eren's gaze with his own. "You look so sensual right now," he purred. "Eren, do you feel it?"

For a moment, Eren wondered if the commander was out of his mind. Of _course_ he could feel it, the man's dick was huge. He then began to feel something else, and he realized Erwin wasn't talking about their physical intimacy. He'd heard that mated pairs shared an empathic bond with one another that could only be broken by death, but he hadn't expected to ever confirm that himself. Hell, he'd expected to die a virgin. Now he could feel emotions that weren't his own, and he gently undulated on top of his companion as he examined them. Warmth, arousal and a fierce sense of protectiveness fairly radiated from the blond.

"Is this...the bond?" Eren questioned uncertainly.

"Yes." Erwin sucked in a sharp breath, his eyes fluttering closed briefly. "I wasn't expecting it to be so strong." He opened his eyes again to look up at the younger man. "I'm glad you aren't afraid, Eren."

"Not anymore." Eren moaned and started rolling his hips harder and faster, his omega urges taking over again. "Shit...I just c-can't move right. It's driving me crazy!"

Erwin sat up, still stroking him off. He put an arm around him and he thrust upwards, driving his length in deeply and firmly. Eren tossed his head back, and he let the other man guide his motions. "Oh...oh, sir!"

If Erwin minded him again reverting to addressing him as a superior, he didn't say anything. He kissed Eren's throat, his tongue tracing the chain which the basement key hung from. A groan burst from his lips.

"Forgive me, Eren, but I'm losing...my composure."

"Go ahead and lose it," urged the shifter with a whine. "Do whatever...you want with me!"

That seemed to prove to be Erwin's undoing. He growled low in his throat, and he rolled over again to pin Eren beneath him. He started putting more force behind his thrusts, sharpening them to the point where it was a little painful, but not enough to distract from the pleasure. Eren cried out in reaction, feeling a sort of wildness from his companion that he never would have expected of the man. Erwin's lips closed around one of Eren's nipples, sending a shock of sensation through his chest that made the omega want to scream with bliss.

"Damn," panted Erwin, his jaw tightening as he released Eren's nipple.

Eren nearly asked him what was wrong, and then the blond's body went tense above him, his head thrown back. Erwin's groan was louder this time, more primal. Something happened then that Eren could only presume was knotting, because he felt the swell of Erwin's cock grow more pronounced, pressing hard against that spot inside. He felt the warm spurt of the alpha's seed, and the next thing he knew, Eren was coming hard enough to make his vision blur.

"Oh God," yelled the shifter, shaking all over. It kept going on and on, and he nearly sobbed with the intensity of it. Erwin kissed him deeply, holding still inside of him as the knotting did for them both what nature intended.

* * *

Levi found Hange standing guard outside Erwin's tent, when he got back to camp. He could smell the mingled scent of Eren's heat and Erwin's rut before he even made it three feet from the tent, and his eyes widened.

"No way," muttered Levi, narrowing his eyes suspiciously on the command tent. He compressed his lips, and he stepped closer. Hange planted her feet firmly and folded her arms over her chest, watching him with a wary brown gaze. Levi stopped before her, seeing by the look in her eyes that he wasn't going to get her to move without using physical force. Levi could hear Eren panting and crying out. He could hear Erwin's low grunts, and the slap of skin on skin.

"Hange," Levi said in a carefully controlled voice, "tell me Smith isn't in there banging that kid silly right now."

Hange bit her lip, glancing over her shoulder at the closed tent entrance. She met Levi's gaze again, and she put her hands hesitantly on the captain's shoulders, giving them a comforting squeeze.

"His heat came while you and I were both out scouting. It happened fast. I have nothing with me to treat it, and Eren was suffering. This was the best solution to deal with the situation, Levi."

"How the hell did he have a heat?" demanded Levi. "The suppressants he's been on were working fine. What, did they just stop working all the sudden? Did he build up some kind of fucking immunity to them?"

"He dropped his suppressants while we were fleeing a mob of titans," she explained. "There was a tear in his saddlebags. The bottle of suppressants fell out, and I guess the poor kid was counting on making it back to the walls without having a heat. Unfortunately, as you know, when an omega is in the presence of an alpha they fancy, it can trigger a heat. I'm theorizing that's what happened to make Eren go so quickly into a heat before he could get his hands on more suppressants. It's not his fault, Levi."

He clenched his fists, his eyes flashing. He came damned close to shoving his mate aside to go into that tent and confront Erwin, but he somehow held back, considering how it would make Eren feel to be barged in on.

"That lying bastard promised me," hissed Levi softly, because he was afraid he might start yelling if he raised his voice more than a whisper, right now.

"Erwin tried to keep that promise," Hange assured him. "He was very reluctant to do what needed to be done, but I'm going to tell you the same thing I told him: If Eren's condition went left unchecked, there's a chance he might shift and go rogue. I don't think any of us want to see that happen."

Levi's brows pinched as her logic reached through his haze of umbrage. What a shitty way for Eren to meet his end; killed because he was too horny to think straight. Levi sighed, his tension bleeding out of him with his rage. Now, he just felt tired. He'd rather see the kid get laid by a guy old enough to be his dad than have to execute him because he lost his shit.

"So what happens if he ends up in trouble because of this?"

For a moment, Hange just looked at him blankly. Levi raised his brows meaningfully and patted his belly.

"Oh! Oh, pooh." Hange winced. "I...that didn't enter my calculations."

"It didn't enter your...how the hell _couldn't_ it have?" Levi's anger spiked again. "You're the fucking biology expert! Didn't you think of giving him something to prevent it? If not now, then when we get back to headquarters?"

"Actually, I can whip up something to give him to help prevent an accident," Hange hastily assured, holding her hands up in a pacifying gesture. "I couldn't brew up anything to suppress his heat in time, but I _can_ make an emergency contraceptive with what I brought in our medical supplies. He can take it later on when they've finished."

Levi calmed down, somewhat. He gave a sharp nod. "Then what are you waiting for, shitty-glasses? You need to have that concoction ready for him the minute they stop going at each other."

"Right." She started to go and do just that, but she hesitated with an uncertain look at the captain. "You aren't going to barge in there and yank Commander Handsome off of him before they're finished, are you?"

He sighed, and he scuffed a clump of grass with the toe of his boot. "No. The fucking damage is done and it would be pointless. I'll stand guard while you take care of that, Hange. Just go."

"Okay. I'm taking your word for it," she agreed. "I'll have it ready as fast as I can, but they're going to be in there for a good while—"

"I don't need to be reminded," he snapped. He softened his tone at her briefly hurt look. "I'm not mad at you, okay? I'm just frustrated with the whole situation."

She nodded, planted a swift kiss on his cheek, and hurried off to do her task. Levi watched her go, and he muttered a promise under his breath once she was out of hearing range.

"I won't interrupt them, but I'm gonna show Erwin exactly how I feel about this, the minute his giant blond ass comes out for some air."

* * *

Hours later, Erwin lay on his back with Eren collapsed on top of him, both of them drenched in sweat and finally spent. He stroked his young mate's back slowly as he considered how this was going to change both of their lives.

"Erwin?" Eren's voice was hoarse from all of his helpless vocalizations.

"Hmm?"

The teenager lifted his head off the commander's chest to look at him. "I could get pregnant from this, couldn't I?"

Erwin frowned. He'd taken that possibility into consideration, but under the circumstances...

"Yes, possibly. We don't know whether your body is capable of gestation, given its unique biology."

Eren swallowed, and he dropped his head back down to the bigger man's chest with a sigh. "I hope...I mean, don't take it the wrong way, but I hope it doesn't happen."

"I understand," assured the commander. He nuzzled Eren's damp brown hair. "I'll speak with Hange about what could be done to prevent conception. For now, just get some rest."

Eren nodded. "I don't think that's going to be a problem," he yawned. "I could sleep for a whole day, now."

Erwin smirked. "I wish I could let you. We need to have the platoon moving again in the morning. You can ride in a wagon for the rest of our return journey back to the walls. It would be far kinder on your body than attempting to ride your horse, I think."

"Um, yeah. Thank you, sir."

"Erwin," reminded the blond softly.

"Thank you, Erwin."

Eren smiled against the alpha's chest. Within moments, the shifter's breathing became deep and even, telling Erwin that he'd fallen asleep. Feeling the press of the key around Eren's neck against his skin, the commander frowned again. How were they to conduct their mission to Shiganshina if Eren _did_ conceive from their mating?

* * *

Erwin waited for a while, until he was certain his companion was sleeping deeply enough. He gently rolled Eren off of him, tucked him in and got up to put some clothes on. He tidied himself up as much as he could with some water from his canteen and a cloth, and he combed his hair before leaving his tent. It was dark outside now, and it was probably close to midnight. Hange would likely still be awake, though.

"Oi, Commander shithead," came a familiar, low voice off the Erwin's left. He turned to see Levi standing there, evidently having been waiting diligently for him to finally come out.

"Levi, I know how you feel about it, but—"

He didn't even see the kick to his stomach coming, and Erwin staggered and clutched at it, gagging. He managed to catch Levi's attempted follow-up punch in mid swing, and he caught his breath as he glared blue daggers at the captain.

"Do that again, and I hit back."

Levi narrowed his eyes at him. "You had that coming, and you know it."

Erwin sighed in a tired manner, and he abruptly released the captain's fist and took a step back. "If punching me makes you feel better, then I'll allow you to get it out of your system. I didn't intend for things to happen this way, but what's done is done. Eren is sleeping peacefully. He's safe. If you intend to keep striking me, I suggest we move away from the tent so as not to disturb him."

"So you'd really let me beat the shit out of you right now?" Levi tilted his head. "Must be a guilty conscience."

Erwin said nothing, he just stared at Levi.

"He could get knocked up from this, you know," the captain went on. "That's exactly what we don't need. Did you even consider that?"

"Of course I did." Erwin glanced back at the tent. "In fact, I was just going to seek out Hange to ask if there's anything she can offer that might prevent that from happening. Where is she, Levi?"

"I'm right here," called Hange, coming around from behind Erwin's tent, "and don't worry, I'm already way ahead of you!"

Erwin frowned at her. "How do you mean, exactly?"

Hange held up a vial she was carrying. It was filled with liquid of an undefined, dark color. "Here. Give half of this to Eren as soon as he wakes up. Have him take the rest of it tomorrow evening."

Erwin took the vial from her, and he studied it. "What is it? Contraceptive?" He knew she'd been working on finding a viable form of birth control for omegas when she had the time, but she hadn't reported any success to him yet.

"Of a sort." Hange shrugged. "It's an emergency formula. This is what omegas typically take after having sex while in heat if they don't want to conceive. Unfortunately, it's not one-hundred percent guaranteed to work for everyone. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't. Approximately eighty-five percent of the time it works, so it's better than nothing."

"Thank you," said the commander sincerely. He pocketed the vial. "You really do think ahead of time."

Hange smirked. "Well, you two have been in there since this afternoon. I had plenty of time to come up with the idea."

Erwin cleared his throat as Levi shot another glare at him. "I appreciate it."

"So what happens now?" Levi demanded. "You've had your fun with him. Are you finished or what?"

Erwin met the captain's angry gaze calmly. "No, I'm not 'finished'. Eren is my omega now. The bond is true. I couldn't put him aside if I tried to."

"Excellent," whispered Hange with a smile.

Levi's anger seemed to drain a little. "You're serious? You and the shitty brat are in a pair-bond now?"

"Yes. It couldn't be helped. I went into rut in response to his heat, and I knew that this was likely to happen when I chose to relieve his condition. I think you should accept it as well, Levi."

"Remember what we talked about, grump," urged Hange to her mate. "This is a _good_ thing for Eren. You admitted as much to me yourself."

Erwin looked between the two of them. "Exactly how long have you two been speculating over the chance of this occurring?"

Levi sighed. "Since Eren got his first heat and I realized he had a boner for you. I was hoping you'd never act on it, but..." he shrugged and grumbled. "I know what a bad heat feels like. If the kid was suffering that much, I guess you did what you had to do."

Knowing how difficult apologies were for Levi—even vague ones—Erwin nodded solemnly. "He was in a great deal of discomfort, and there was no telling how long it would be before you and Hange returned from your scouting tasks. My composure failed me in the end, I'll admit."

Levi grunted. "What's going to happen if we have to put him down? Are you gonna be able to live with that?"

"Are you?" countered the blond.

Levi's expression darkened. "I've lived with everything else I've had to do, so yeah. I can still do my duty if I have to. I'm not mated to the brat, though."

"But you're quite fond of him," Erwin declared challengingly, "and losing men in the line of duty is different from executing them yourself, is it not?"

Levi took a deep breath, his jaw tightening. Hange patted him consolingly on the shoulder. "All right boys, let's just agree that you're both willing to do what's necessary, okay? Eren's fine now, and he's gaining better control over his titan abilities with each passing day. It may never come to an execution." She shrugged.

Erwin agreed with her logic, and arguing with Levi over which one of them would be the more willing to see Jaeger die was pointless. So far, there had been no further incidents of Eren losing control of himself in his titan form. The commander stuck his hand out in offering, addressing Levi as his friend and equal.

"You've trusted me with everything else, Levi. I hope you can come to trust me on this."

Levi looked at the alpha's hand, then at his face. He shrugged a bit grudgingly, and he took Erwin's peace offering. They shook hands, and the captain spoke in a low voice. "Just see to it you don't fuck with Jaeger's emotions. He's already got enough angst and anger issues."

Erwin smirked. "That sounds familiar."

"Hey, I don't fly off the handle in a fight," defended Levi.

"No, just with your commander," snickered Hange. When Levi gave her a warning look, she blew a whistle and looked away. "So anyway, I'll be in our tent, grump. I'm glad you two made up."

The two men watched her go, and Levi dropped Erwin's hand with a sigh. The commander looked at him, and he spoke softly. "I'm going to do what I can to ensure you don't become a grandfather."

"Tch. Eren's not my kid." Levi _almost_ looked embarrassed. "He's my ward."

Erwin chuckled. "You're too easily provoked."

"Whatever. Are we leaving at first light?"

"Yes, so I'd best retire." Erwin fought a yawn. "Goodnight, Levi."

"Goodnight, chief."

* * *

"Eren, I need you to wake up now."

The shifter groaned. He opened his eyes blearily, feeling like he'd barely gotten any sleep. Erwin Smith's handsome features came into focus above him. Remembering the night before, Eren flushed pink.

"Are we breaking camp?" Eren blinked at the raspy sound of his own voice. "Oh my God, just how much was I yelling last night?"

Erwin smiled at him. "Do you really want me to answer that?"

Eren groaned and rolled over, tugging the blanket over his head. "Everyone probably heard!"

Erwin sobered. "Even if they did, remember what I told you, Eren. Nobody is to disrespect this bond between us or shame you. I won't have it."

Eren nodded, and he peeked out from under the cover. "My clothes? I don't remember where Hange put them when she helped me out of them yesterday."

"I've already set them down right next to the pallet," explained Erwin. "First, I need you to drink half of this." He held up a vial of some sort of medicine.

"What is it?" Eren took the vial from him, and he unstopped it to sniff at it. He grimaced. "It smells like old socks."

"I imagine it doesn't taste much better." Erwin opened up his water canteen and offered it to the shifter next. "It's a preventative given to me by Hange. Hopefully, it will ensure conception doesn't occur. Just don't drink the entire thing at once; save half for later tonight."

"Okay." Eren was all to eager to take the medication, though it did taste even worse than it smelled. He fought back his gag reflex and he quickly gulped down some water. He realized something as he thanked the commander and gave his canteen back to him; there was no crusty film on him from their activities the night before, and he knew there had been plenty of body fluids exchanged.

"Yes, I bathed you while you were asleep," Erwin confirmed, sensing the question before Eren could voice it. He smirked. "You didn't even stir. It took at least five minutes for me to wake you."

"Oh." Eren smiled bashfully. "Thank you, Commander."

"You can take a real bath when we return to headquarters," offered the older man. "I imagine you're quite sore."

Eren shifted a little, and he grimaced. Ouch. "Yeah...I think riding in a wagon really would be best for me right now."

Plus, he wouldn't have to worry about people staring at him curiously if he was hidden in one of the covered supply wagons. He wasn't exactly ashamed, but he could easily imagine what some of his peers would think about him boning the commander.

* * *

-To be continued

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ((Additional notes: Initially, I was going to write their encounter as a separate one-shot, for the sake of readers following this story that aren't into that ship. I opted to include the details in this one rather than censor it and write the side ficlet, mainly because a few people have expressed enthusiasm over Eren and Erwin hooking up. Hopefully the warning in the beginning chapter notes will suffice.))
> 
> End of chapter recap:
> 
> Erwin: "Fix Eren before I lose my composure, Hange."
> 
> Hange: "Erm...he's not broken."
> 
> Erwin: "You know what I meant."
> 
> Hange: "Sorry Erwin. I didn't bring anything for emergencies like this. Oops, hindsight is 20/20!"
> 
> Erwin: "...so what are we going to do, then?"
> 
> Hange: "You're going to do Eren."
> 
> Erwin: "What?"
> 
> Hange: "You want the situation fixed, don't you? That's the quickest option to get him through this and in traveling condition. Come on...you know you want to."
> 
> Erwin: (๑•﹏•) "I...I made a vow..."
> 
> Hange: "Some vows can't be kept, and that kid needs a good serving of Smith sausage, so get in there!"
> 
> Levi: "Hange, why do I smell fuck coming from Erwin's tent?"
> 
> Hange: "Um...because he's fucking?"
> 
> Levi: (〠_〠) "That perverted old lying bastard. I'm going to carve off his—"
> 
> Hange: "No, you aren't. Leave Erwin's jewels where they belong, grump."
> 
> Levi: "...fine. I'm still going to kick the shit out of him, though."


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew, it's been a while! Thanks everyone for hanging in there for the update while I worked on finishing my other WIP! I really appreciate all of the support for this fanfiction, and I hope you enjoy this ridiculously fluffy and cheesy chapter.

They made it back to the walls without any further casualties, by some miracle. They did have to engage a handful of titans between their encampment and their destination, but Levi and Hange's squad was quick to deal with the threat. Eren was on pins and needles as the days went by and he waited to see if there were any symptoms of pregnancy. After nearly a month passed, Hange confirmed for him that he was in the clear. The boy nearly passed out with relief.

"Easy, kiddo," soothed Hange, quickly supporting Eren and helping him to a chair in her lab when his knees started to buckle. "Goodness, you were really worried, weren't you darling?"

Eren tried to calm his shaking. "I just don't know what I would have done. It's not pain or discomfort that scares me; I'm used to that. I don't think I could have handled the responsibility on top of everything else."

"Who could blame you?" Hange patted his shoulder. "Now you can stop worrying about it. I think it would be a good idea for both you and Levi to have backup suppressants available on the next expedition though. Better safe than sorry, wouldn't you agree?"

"No arguments there, Section Commander." Eren wiped his forehead, aware that he'd broken into a sweat while waiting for the test results.

Hange smiled at him, and she went over to one of her supply cabinets. "You know what, Eren? I think you could use a little drink after a scare like that."

"More than one," he mumbled.

Hange laughed, and she selected one of the liquor bottles she kept on hand for those moments when she felt like a nip. She poured two glasses and she brought them over to Eren. When he took it with gratitude, she held up her glass for a toast.

"Here's to avoiding early parenthood."

Eren tapped his glass against hers. "Cheers."

He paused in the act of tipping the glass back to have a sip, feeling a tingle that he was becoming more accustomed to. It wasn't the warning tingle of impending heat; it was more of a tingle of premonition. "Erwin's back."

Hange pulled up another chair and plopped down on it. "Well, finish your drink and go greet your honey, then. I know a little something about being separated from one's mate for too long."

Eren gulped his drink down.

* * *

Erwin handed his horse's reins over the Ness with a nod of gratitude, and he tugged his gloves off. There was a chill in the air due to winter approaching. He'd been hoping to conduct the next supply base expedition before the season changed and snow interfered with travel. He couldn't make those plans until he knew for certain that Eren wasn't expecting, however. They'd been apart for a week now, and Erwin wasn't sure when Hange would be able to confirm it.

Erwin started towards the keep's front entrance, and he sensed a wave of excitement growing stronger by the moment. Along with it was that sense of "Eren-ness". He began to smile as he looked up at the entry doors, and he wasn't surprised when one of the doors pushed open from the other side to reveal Eren Jaeger. The boy started forward with an excited smile, but he stopped and just stared at the commander, his gaze sweeping him from head to toe. Erwin reminded himself that they were in public view, and despite the entire regiment being aware of their relationship by now, there were still matters of propriety to adhere to. He couldn't grab Eren out in the open and lay a big, passionate kiss on him. That would have to wait for when they were in private.

"Welcome back, Commander, sir!" Eren saluted him sharply, evidently gathering his wits as well.

"Thank you, Eren. At ease." Erwin approached him, feasting his eyes on the young man. The green of his eyes, the way his hair framed his tanned face, the glint of the key hanging from his neck. That key served as another reminder to Erwin that they still had a very important goal to strive for. "Walk with me."

Eren nodded, and he fell into step with him. They ascended the steps of the keep, and Eren opened the door for both of them. "How was your journey, sir?"

"Rather chilly," answered the blond. "I believe the next time, I'll arrange a coach to travel to and from the capital."

"It would probably be more comfortable." Eren smiled at him. "Sir, I have news to give you, but I need to give it to you in private."

Erwin considered him, trying to read the clutter of emotions he felt from him. "Very well. Come to my quarters with me, and we can discuss things before dinner."

Eren gamely went with him, and Erwin greeted scouts politely in passing as they welcomed him back. He unlocked his door and he let Eren go inside first, before stepping in himself and locking it behind him. Eren helped himself to a seat on the bed, having finally grown comfortable enough not to ask first. Erwin joined him, and he smiled at the shifter.

"Now, what is this news you need to give to me? Nobody's been troubling you over our relationship, have they?"

Eren shook his head. "No sir, not even Jean goes there. Everyone's too intimidated by you to say a negative word about it."

"You did it again," Erwin pointed out with a chuckle.

Eren blinked. "Did what? Oh...called you 'sir' when we're alone. Sorry. Does it really bother you so much?"

Erwin shrugged. "I've come to accept that's a habit I may never break you of. No Eren, it doesn't bother me. It does amuse me a bit, however."

Eren smirked. "Yeah, I know. Well, we don't have to worry about pregnancy anymore. Commander Hange ran some tests just before you got back and they all came up negative. There's no need to put off the next expedition any longer on my account."

Erwin felt relieved, but underscoring that was an unexpected twinge of...regret. He marveled at himself for allowing such a foolish reaction. Of course he and Eren couldn't raise a child. The fate of humanity rested on the shoulders of Survey Corps. That was the entire reason he'd let Marie go. He needed to be a part of something bigger than himself, and that still held true.

"You don't look as happy as I thought you'd be," Eren observed softly. "Erwin are you...upset?"

Recalling that he couldn't hide his feelings so easily from his mate, Erwin pushed his illogical feelings aside. He smiled at the boy. "No, I'm not upset. I think perhaps I've been concentrating so much on what's to be done if the tests resulted in the opposite conclusion, it took a moment for it to sink in."

"Oh. So you've actually been trying to plan for having a kid?" Eren looked surprised.

"Call it preparing," explained Erwin. "You know I'm not in favor of flying by the seat of my pants, even though that seems to be the way things go for us, more often than not."

Eren laughed softly. "Yeah, it does. I didn't know you were thinking so much about it. I figured you were too mired in work."

Erwin took the shifter's hand and squeezed it. "I think about you frequently, actually. Not just because there was a chance you were with child."

Eren blushed, and he lowered his vivid gaze. "I...I think about you a lot, too. Especially when your duties keep you away for a while. I actually...oh, never mind. It's stupid."

"What?" pressed Erwin. "Speak your thoughts, Eren. I promise not to laugh, no matter how stupid you think whatever you were going to say sounds."

Eren shrugged, and he met the older man's gaze bashfully. "I thought of asking you if I could come with you to the capital sometime, during one of your trips there."

Erwin nodded in understanding. While he could see the appeal of bringing his young lover with him to the inner districts, doing so would be rash and irresponsible. "I would love to have you as a companion during my business trips, but I fear that might needlessly expose you to danger. We still don't know who was behind that kidnapping attempt the last time I brought you to the capital."

Erwin caressed the shifter's face. "I already put you in enough danger on our expeditions."

"I understand," Eren sighed. "It was just a thought. I miss you when you're away, sir."

Erwin cupped Eren's chin, and he leaned in for a soft kiss. "I miss you as well."

In fact, Erwin usually felt like a piece of him was missing when he was parted from Eren Jaeger. He supposed that was normal for a pair-bond, and he wished he could lighten Hange's duties so that she and Levi wouldn't have to spend so much time apart. Her research was important to the struggle against the titans, though. Just as his pilgrimages to the capital and the politics entailed were important for their funding.

"Perhaps if we can identify the responsible party behind that attempted abduction and have them face justice, things will be different," murmured Erwin. "Until then, I want you here and as safe as possible. Now then, tell me how your training has been going. Have you been finding it easier to use your powers without suffering illness afterwards?"

"A little bit, yeah." Eren nodded. "It depends on how much I practice that hardening ability in any given session. I still can't manage it more than once without getting wiped out, but it's getting easier to break out of my titan form without being completely useless afterwards."

"And the nosebleeds? Do they still occur?"

Eren grimaced. "Yes. They aren't as strong now, though. The last time, I only got a trickle. It's still pretty embarrassing."

"Yes, I can understand that." Erwin smiled at him. "Your efforts for the scouts and for humanity are appreciated, however."

The commander's smile faded a bit, his face taking on a more somber tone as his eyes caught and held the key hanging around the shifter's neck. "And your cooperation could lead to our freedom from these walls, someday. Always remember that."

"I will," promised Eren. He looked Erwin up and down, and then glanced around at their surroundings. "So, um...we're alone."

Erwin found the observation a bit amusing. "Yes, we are."

"I know you just got back, but...um..." Eren started to blush. "D-do you want to—"

The blond answered that question by cupping the back of Eren's head and drawing him close for a deep, sensual kiss. Yes, he did want to. Very much.

* * *

"All right, so we know someone is trying to keep us from going through with our plans for Wall Maria." Hange paced the room, while her lover sat going over her notes with a little frown of concentration on his lips. "Nobody's talking, or whomever's behind this is being too sneaky for any of the lackeys to even identify them."

"We've been over this, Hange." Levi squinted at a word scribbled in her research notes, and he gave up trying to decipher it with a sigh. "Can you even read your own handwriting?"

"Of course I can, and so can Moblit." Hange paused in her pacing, and she smirked at him. "Are you sure it's just the handwriting and not my scientific jargon that's confusing you, dear? I'd be happy to explain it to you."

Levi shook his head with such haste that it made her laugh. "What's the matter, Levi? Are you afraid I'm going to talk over your head again?"

"You talk over my head all the damned time," he corrected, "and the last time you tried to explain something in layman's terms to me, I couldn't shut you up all night long."

Hange walked over to the wooden chair he was sitting in, took the notes and put them on the table behind the captain. She then eased down into his lap, ignoring his dramatic grunt of complaint. "I'm not that heavy, shrimp. You weigh more than me."

"Your hip is digging into my crotch," he informed.

"Oh! Sorry." Hange shifted on his lap, putting her arms around his shoulders. "There, better?"

"I suppose." Levi's arms stole around her waist. "I hate to say it, but we may need to think about trying to bait the creep behind that kidnapping. We can go around in circles reviewing the facts that we already know, but the trail's not getting any warmer. They're obviously not going to try anything while Eren is here at the keep, or when he's surrounded by a whole platoon of scouts."

Hange pursed her lips in thought. "Hmm, that's true. I'm surprised Erwin hasn't come to the same conclusion. That sounds more like something he'd think of."

"Tch. Erwin's compromised now. The brat's his mate, and whether Smith will admit to it or not, he won't be as ruthless as he was before, when it comes to putting Eren at risk. That's what I was afraid of happening if he ever responded to Eren's feelings for him, and it looks like I was right."

"But you're not as willing to put Eren in danger as you used to be, either," Hange pointed out. "Like it or not, you've gotten attached to Eren, too. You aren't just protective of him because he's important to our cause, Levi. Not anymore."

The omega lowered his gaze. "It's not just Eren. It's Erwin, too. Yeah, the circumstances were fucked and something had to be done, but the commander's choice to pair bond with that kid could have ended up in disaster, and it still can."

"Eren isn't pregnant," Hange reminded him, "and now he's back on his suppressants and he can be given birth control. I've been perfecting it, and I think it's going to work. Try not to fret over it so much, Levi."

"How is Erwin going to keep going as he does, if something happens to Jaeger?" demanded the captain. "Maybe he initially did it for convenience; the creep is always thinking practically and whether he admits it or not, he's got a big advantage now as Eren's mate. It's not going to stay a bond of convenience forever, though. Smith isn't totally made of ice. He's already fond of Eren, and that could develop into..."

Levi trailed off and shut his mouth, not daring to say it.

"Love?" guessed Hange with a gentle smile. She leaned in for a soft kiss on the lips. "The way our little arrangement of convenience did?"

Levi shrugged a bit grudgingly. "Yeah. It could happen."

"Erwin has loved before," reasoned Hange, "and lost. He's survived and carried on."

Levi met her gaze, and the gray of his eyes was intense. "That was different, and you know it. There was no pair-bond between them, and his last lover didn't die. After how you reacted when the three of us got kidnapped, are you really gonna try to say losing Eren wouldn't make a bigger impact on him?"

Hange bit her lip. "I see your point." She stroked Levi's hair, combing her fingers through the dark strands of it. "I know I would be out of my mind with grief if I lost you. I'm just counting on Erwin to be made of stronger stuff than I am, and I'm counting on Eren staying alive, too."

Levi didn't have a response to that. He didn't want to see the kid die either. It was Erwin himself, however, that had convinced Levi years ago that the good of humanity came before personal feelings and needs. They were supposed to be humanity's champions, spearheading the fight for freedom and creating a future where children didn't have to put their lives on the line to fight, and there would be no further need of such high walls closing them all off from the rest of the world.

"You're thinking too much again, grump," whispered Hange.

Levi nodded again, not denying it. What was done was done. Erwin Smith would either keep his head and rise above instinct, or he would fall and become more of a liability to their cause than an asset. For now, their primary focus needed to be on uncovering who was behind the abduction and put a stop to their interference with the Survey Corps' plans. In the moment, however, Levi's attention was on enjoying the time he had with his mate before she had to leave again to resume her pressing titan research. She had to leave tonight. Levi had precious little time to be with her before her work separated them again.

With that in mind, he pulled her close and he kissed her. He was surprised by his own ardor, but he didn't question it. His body yearned for her, practically throbbing all over with an omega's urgency. He half-resented the influence she had over his libido. He'd never been so much at the mercy of his hormones, before he and Hange started fucking.

"Look what you do to me, bitch," Levi muttered sullenly between kisses, grinding his arousal against her thigh.

Hange chuckled with good humor, quite used to his insults by now and aware that they were issued with affection. "I like that I do this to you, my little shit."

* * *

Erwin had to leave again. He had matters to discuss in the capital with the brass; matters that concerned the recent attempts at sabotage and the ongoing investigation into it. Nile Dok had the MP's on it, but Erwin didn't trust them to put too terribly much effort into it. There was always tension between their two regiments. There was always a rivalry underlying those moments of cooperation, and truthfully, Erwin wondered if the saboteurs might actually be in the MP ranks. He and Mike had heavily investigated their own ranks for a leak, but they'd found nothing so far. Hange was tied up mostly in titan research and alpha/omega medical research, though she helped out when she could. Levi's attention was divided between guarding Eren and participating in the investigation, and Erwin himself was stretched thin between his own interest in keeping Eren safe, making plans for the delayed expedition, politics and the investigation as well.

The tall blond alpha gazed down at his slumbering mate as he mulled things over. Eren was sprawled on his back, naked beneath the sheets covering him up to the waist. It was very early in the morning. The sun hadn't even begun to rise yet, beyond lightening the sky a bit in the distance. The dim light of the single lantern Erwin had lit in his chambers cast a warm, flickering glow over Eren's smooth, coppery skin. That key—which had become a symbol of such hope for all of them—glinted against the shifter's chest.

Erwin approached the young man quietly, standing over the bed to simply watch him for a while. He wasn't entirely certain that his decision to mate with him wasn't a tactical move. Nothing Erwin did, it seemed, was ever done out of personal feelings any longer. He reached out slowly, almost without consciously doing so, and he caressed Eren's face softly with the back of his fingers. He knew what Eren was capable of. He'd stabbed someone to death when he was still a child. He fought with fury and passion that Erwin rarely saw matched, though Eren's lack of discipline was a deterrent to his skills.

But the boy had so much to be enraged about. So many reasons for that fury within him. Still, as Erwin watched him in his sleep, he could see the lingering innocence there. The world hadn't yet robbed Eren of that completely.

"If only I could promise you that it never will," whispered the commander. Erwin had once been young and idealistic like Eren, though perhaps not as temperamental and impulsive. Somewhere along the way of his military career, Erwin had shed the last of his boyhood innocence. He'd exchanged his idealism for resolve, his kindness for ambition. He could still be kind, but no longer did he do so simply for the sake of kindness, and there was nearly always something to be gained by it.

Eren rolled towards the blond onto his side in his sleep, curling up and reaching out blindly to put a hand on the older man's knee as Erwin sat down on the edge of the bed. That simple act of seeking him out even in slumber made a warmth steal through the alpha, and with it, a rush of protective emotion. Before he even knew he was doing it, Erwin bent over his mate to brush his lips over his temple, inhaling his scent. Needing more, he buried his nose against Eren's throat where the scent glands were located.

Erwin started to mark him again, though his alpha scent was already clinging strongly to Eren from the night before. It was another instinctive gesture; the need to drench his omega with his pheromones, so that even after sweating and bathing, Erwin's scent would linger for days and remind others whom Eren belonged to now.

Eren roused from sleep as the bigger man slipped beneath the sheets with him and rubbed his nude body against his. Wrists, inner thighs, throat and even Erwin's saliva all produced scent, and he was doing his best to cover Eren in it completely.

"Commander," sighed Eren, his tone sleepy and submissive at the same time. His fingers curled into Erwin's hair as the alpha gently nipped and licked at the shifter's throat, tasting the potent sweetness of the scent secretion rising to the surface of Eren's skin. Erwin rubbed his face against it, and then he repeated his actions with the other side of Eren's neck, blending their alpha and omega essences together, marking himself as Eren's even as he marked the shifter as his.

Eren started to squirm restlessly against the commander, hardening against Erwin's thighs as the primal ritual continued. He scooted down on the bed and started kissing Erwin's chest, running his hands all over the broad expanse of it as he did so and rubbing his wrists there by the same instinct driving the blond.

"I have to leave again soon," murmured Erwin huskily, now just as sexually excited as his companion. He usually had a bit more control over his passions, but the bond he now shared with Eren made his lust burn hotter when they were together.

"Already?" Eren paused, drawing back to meet Erwin's gaze. The shifter's eyes had changed color in his arousal, gold expanding over the bright green. "You just got back, though."

"Yes," agreed Erwin patiently, his groin throbbing with need to claim his omega once more before he had to leave him again. "I must make further arrangements for the next expedition. Sanction, funding and going over the mission plan are all necessary before officially scheduling it. In addition, I need to discuss the investigation concerning our abduction and the attempt to blackmail the Survey Corps into aborting our goals. Because you are so unique, there will always be some danger for you within these walls. Even if we expose the culprits and prosecute them, I'm not going to fool myself into thinking it will be the last time someone attempts to kidnap you, Eren. There are many people with varying reasons that would like to get their hands on you. For all I know, this recent attempt was a collaboration between several factions within the walls."

Eren grimaced. "I guess some of them want to get their hands on me just to kill me."

"Probably," agreed Erwin softly. There was no point in candy-coating it. Better for the boy to be constantly aware of potential danger than to give him a false sense of security. "You're protected here at the keep, and in the company of your fellow scouts. Under the Wings of Freedom is where you are most safe, and I'm afraid it's going to have to remain that way until we succeed in our goals or die trying."

"I understand," whispered Eren. He cuddled closer to the alpha, and he kissed his clavicle. "So I guess that means no trips to the capital with you at all for me anymore."

"For now." Erwin stroked his back slowly, feeling the rougher patches of skin where the harness gear had left its marks on Eren's body. His touch became more sensual as his urgency grew again. He traced the curve of Eren's spine down to his tailbone, and then he caressed the shifter's smooth, firm bottom.

"Couldn't I at least accompany you to the next district over?" pleaded Eren. He too was getting bolder with his touches and kisses, and he rubbed against the muscular thigh pressed between his, damp and hard against Erwin's flesh. "You mentioned taking a carriage next time. You'll have to get one there, won't you? We can bring your horse back to the keep with us once we've seen you off."

"I..." for a moment, Erwin was so distracted by the feel of the omega's cock sliding against his skin that he completely lost his train of thought. He shook himself out of it quickly, and he smiled against Eren's hair. "You're a stubborn one, Jaeger."

"If I'm in a riding formation with Team Levi and the others," persisted Eren, speaking between wet little kisses against Erwin's throat and chest, "then I should be safe to see you off, right?"

Seeing as Erwin had said himself that the safest place Eren could be was at the keep and/or in the company of his fellow scouts, he couldn't really dispute that. It was almost tempting to just take a couple of squads and Eren all the way to the capital with him, but traveling with so many of his soldiers might raise the question of why Erwin needed so much militia with him for a trip to the inner city. People might get the idea that they were planning a coup against someone, or that the commander wasn't as confident and strong a leader as he tried to portray. Some protection was simply wise, but too much might make him appear weak.

"I think that accompanying me to the Karanese district will be acceptable, provided I can arrange a proper escort at such notice," he finally said at length. "No further than that, Eren. From there, I'll arrange carriage transport to Mitras. I don't want you any closer to the capital than that for now, unless we have no choice."

"Got it," agreed Eren. He smirked as Erwin rolled him onto his back. "Can I just ask one more thing?"

Erwin tasted one of the spots on Eren's neck perfumed by his scent glands again. "What is it?" he hummed against the soft skin.

"Do you think people are more dangerous than titans are?"

Erwin went still, and he lifted his head to gaze down at him. "What makes you ask?"

The boy shrugged. "Well, you just seem so dead serious about keeping me isolated from any humans except the soldiers in the Survey Corps, but you've never excluded me from expeditions. I understand I have a role to play in our goals, but shouldn't titans count as a bigger danger to my safety than other people?"

It was a valid question. In fact, it was a very logical question to ask, and Erwin struggled inwardly for an answer to it. "Eren, it's as you said; you have an important role in the fight for humanity. Exposing you to the danger of titans is necessary. Exposing you to the risk of further kidnapping attempts within the walls, however, is not."

Eren studied him for a moment, his hands sliding over Erwin's shoulders, the fingers kneading them. "I got exposed to other people a lot, until we found out I'm an omega."

"And you got subsequently abducted," reminded Erwin with a lift of a thick brow. "That incident served as a reminder to me that human beings can be quite devious, unpredictable and desperate. With the exception of deviants and those like yourself—if there _are_ others like yourself out there—titans are dull-witted and their behavior is easy to predict."

Erwin supported his weight on one arm, and he cupped Eren's chin. "There are enough dangers in titan territory, without exposing you to additional dangers behind these walls unless we've no other choice. You're far too important to our cause, Eren."

"You still believe I could be humanity's savior?" whispered the shifter bashfully, a blush spreading over his cheeks in response to the commander's steady, intense gaze.

Erwin nodded. "I do. I must confess that there were times, even after recruiting Levi into the ranks, that I despaired. I thought it was never going to be enough, yet I kept going because there was simply no other choice. Then you and your squad mates joined our thinning ranks, and now I have hope again."

By the expression on his face, Eren didn't know what to say in response to that. He tried to speak, but he kept stammering and blushing and looking away. Finally, he just hugged Erwin tightly.

"I hope I never let you down, sir."

* * *

"Now hold on a minute," Levi protested, staring at the blond alpha that had requested his presence in his keep office. "The sun's barely up and all the sudden you want me and my squad to take a jaunt with you to Karanese? Kind of last minute, chief. We've got shit to do around here."

"I'm aware of that." Erwin sipped the cup of tea he'd made for himself, and he gestured at the other steaming cup waiting on the coffee table before the couch Levi sat upon. "Your beverage is going to get cold."

Levi procured the cup with a sigh, opting out of adding any sugar or cream to it. He sipped experimentally, and he grudgingly decided it wasn't bad. Not many people could make a cup of tea the way he liked it, save Eren and Hange. "So why the elite escort? Do you think someone's going to try and ambush your squad on the way there or something?"

"That's not beyond the realm of possibility, especially now." Erwin set his tea aside on his desk. "I ask for another reason, however. Eren is not to leave this keep without the company of your squad."

Levi blinked at him, the only change of expression on his face. "So you're dragging my whole squad away from their duties here just so you can get seen off by your little trophy mate? Tch. How much did he suck you off to convince you he's gotta come with you to Karanese?"

"Don't be vulgar," admonished Erwin. "This time, I'm not ordering you. I'm asking you. Travel with me to Karanese and bring my horse back to the keep with you once I've boarded my carriage with Mike and my squad. I simply..."

The commander's voice faded away, and he frowned a bit. Levi could read him a lot of the time now, though. He could guess what was troubling the man, and his jaw tightened. This wasn't a tactical decision to ensure he made it safely to his destination. This was pure indulgence for both him and Eren. Levi could just imagine the kid giving Erwin puppy eyes until he cracked and agreed to let him come with to the first stop.

Erwin had come to this decision because he was falling for Jaeger.

It was on the tip of Levi's tongue to warn Erwin that he could start losing his edge really fast if he let his feelings get in the way of things, but the omega snapped his mouth shut before the first word could come out. Who was he to criticize? He had a mate too, and he knew what it was like to crave their presence, to quietly pine for them when they weren't around. He'd gone for a week and more without seeing Hange, due to her duties keeping them in separate locations within the walls. She'd left again last night in fact, and he already missed her.

The captain felt himself empathizing with his superior, and his hard stare softened on the bigger man. Sure, Erwin's bond with Eren was still fresh, but that didn't make it any less powerful. "I suppose its safe enough to go with you."

Erwin relaxed, and for a brief moment, he seemed somewhat embarrassed. "Thank you. I honestly would have felt obliged to refuse his request, if you'd been completely opposed to it."

Levi folded his arms over his chest, smirked and shook his head slowly. "That kid's got you wrapped around his finger already, Smith. Might want to check your balls at the door, from here on out."

Erwin flushed, and his handsome, chiseled features hardened. "Let me remind you that I am still your superior, Levi. I put up with your quirks because you kick ass in the field, but I really don't have to take this from you."

Levi checked himself, though inwardly he was snickering. His amusement over Erwin's discomfort didn't show on his face as he gave the commander a curt nod of acknowledgement. "Sir." He stood up, saluted and excused himself, fearing he might lose it completely if he stayed.

_~Nicely done, Jaeger. I have to give you props for bringing that blond giant straight to his knees. Let's hope it doesn't compromise his command decisions in the future.~_

* * *

"Eren, this is a privilege and not a right," Levi explained a short while later to his subordinate. "I'm only allowing this because you're mated to the commander now. If I had any common sense, I'd have answered his request with a resounding 'no'. Don't think I've got no sympathy for you, brat."

Eren's face lit up. He came damned close to hugging his guardian then and there, but the cool, hooded gaze served as a reminder to him that Levi Ackerman was not a touchy-feely sort of man. Instead, he saluted the captain with enthusiasm, grinning all the while.

"Thank you, sir! I'll be on my best behavior!"

Levi nodded. "Good. See that you honor that promise. Now let's get to the stables and prepare our horses, shall we? Erwin is already packed and ready to ride out."

Eren didn't need to be told twice. He eagerly followed the older omega out of the keep to the stables, and his mouth typically went dry as soon as he caught scent of Erwin close by. He turned his head to look at his mate as he patted his horse's neck, and those icy blue eyes met his. Erwin's cool expression relaxed into a subtle, warm smile, his gaze softening on Eren. He kept his eyes locked with the shifter's as he tightened his white stallion's saddle, and Eren gasped a little when the alpha tripped over his own feet.

"Clumsy idiot," muttered Levi in the stall beside Eren's, having seen the display. "He's got it bad for you, Jaeger. You've fucking ruined him."

Eren chuckled bashfully, his face heating up. He focused on gathering up his tack and harness, trying hard not to stare at the commander as he prepared his mount. "You think so, sir?"

"I _know_ so," came the muted, toneless answer from Levi. There was a slight grunt as the captain hefted the saddle onto his horse. "Try not to let it inflate your ego too much, though. He might be love's fool right now in your honeymoon phase, but he's still our commander. Never forget that."

"I won't," promised Eren softly. He frowned a bit at the reminder that although he and Erwin were now on a very intimate level in private, the commander was more than capable of issuing the command to end his life, if necessary. Eren liked to think the decision would be hard on his mate. He fancied the notion that Erwin Smith had deeper feelings of affection for him than before, now that they were pair-bonded. He wasn't going to kid himself into thinking the man would put humanity and the scouts at risk for his sake, though. He knew what the stakes were, knew he was as expendable as the next soldier and Erwin would not hesitate to sacrifice him if the situation called for it. Rather than be upset by that notion, Eren felt oddly comforted by it.

"When will Hange come back?" Eren boldly asked, trying to take his mind off the complicated situation he remained in.

Levi shrugged, and he hopped up into his mount's saddle with practiced ease. "When her schedule allows for it. Maybe next week."

Eren nodded, feeling sympathy for his captain even though Levi was so damned stoic about it. Being separated from one's alpha was no easy thing, and he could respect that now more than ever. Both he and Levi were so often forced by circumstances to be parted from their mates, and though the captain never spoke of it, Eren thought it had created a sort of empathy between them.

"I hope you get to see her again soon, sir."

"Me too."

The admittance was uttered so softly that Eren almost didn't hear it. He walked his horse out and mounted up, glancing sidelong at Levi. Hange had only been gone since yesterday, but it may as well have been a week. Unused to hearing or seeing his captain express loneliness, Eren started to reach out for him.

"Calm down," advised Levi softly. "I'm not going to disintegrate. We omegas have to pull it together and function without our mates close to us, Eren. Remember that. You're a whole person, not an accessory. It's fine to miss your mate when they aren't around, but don't let it diminish you as a soldier, understand?"

Eren swallowed, trying hard to wipe the sympathetic expression off his face. "Yes sir, I understand."

Mike arrived at that moment, jogging over with a shrug when Erwin raised a brow at him for his tardiness. "Sorry, chief. I've been busy."

Behind the big blond alpha was Jean, and Eren resisted a scowl as the young alpha retrieved his horse from the stable. It probably wasn't good for him to keep holding a grudge like this. Jean had been more or less civil with him since the day they both got overwhelmed by their alpha and omega urges and ended a sparring match making out in front of everyone. It was still a sore subject of humiliation though, and going by the covert glance Jean shot at him, Eren wasn't alone in his embarrassment.

"What about the rest of the squad, Captain?" Eren said to his guardian, tearing his thoughts away from the memory of his horrifying encounter with his rival. "Aren't they coming too?"

"They're already mounted up and waiting for us at the entry gate," explained Levi. "Come on, Mike; move your ass. We're running behind, and I've still got a shit-load of things to do today after I see you clowns off."

"Want some cheese to go with that whine?" muttered Mike as he saddled his horse.

"Gentlemen, if you please," Erwin cautioned when Levi narrowed his eyes dangerously at the commander's head squad leader. "We really don't have time for your pot-shots at one another today."

Eren squirmed uncomfortably as Mike and Levi sized each other up. He'd heard that Levi had once given Mike the business end of his boot, proving that type and size were no matter in a contest of strength and agility. He _almost_ wanted to see his captain demonstrate that again, but Eren respected Squad Commander Mike as well, and seeing him humiliated didn't really sit right with him.

"Um...captain?"

Levi glanced his way, and his tension faded. "Yeah, I got it. Relax."

Nanaba came riding up, and upon seeing the tension between Mike and Levi, she sighed. "Play nice, boys. Are we going to ride, or are we going to stand around glaring at each other all day long?"

"I'm not glaring," insisted Mike stubbornly, turning his attention away from Levi to look at the blonde beta female. "Let's ride."

At that moment, Eren was stricken by a profound revelation that made him snicker under his breath. Mike was to Levi what Jean was to him; a pain in his ass alpha that consistently made him feel the need to prove himself the stronger one. The parallel was so glaringly obvious that Eren couldn't stop laughing.

"What's gotten into him?" Nanaba asked with a nod at the giggling shifter. "Did he have one of Hange's tonics or something?"

Levi sighed, giving Eren a long-suffering look that curbed the younger alpha's amusement somewhat. "No. He's just a goofy teenager. Cut it out, brat. You're gonna scare people."

Eren bit his lip, stifling himself. "Sir. Yes sir."

With a shake of his head, Levi galloped off. Eren was quick to follow, mindful of the rule that he had to stay close to the captain at all times. The others joined them, and soon they met up with Levi's squad at the gate and the scouts on gate-watch opened it for them to ride out together.

* * *

"I have to ask," Erwin said conversationally to his young mate some time later, after Eren joined his side in the travel formation. "You've been giggling under your breath since we left the keep. What provoked this amusement?"

Eren snorted, covering his mouth with one hand. "I'm sorry, Commander. I can't stop it and I know it's disrespectful." He mumbled the apology from beneath his palm, half-muffling his voice.

More endeared than he cared to admit, Erwin smirked at the shifter. He could feel Eren's laughter at the edge of his consciousness, tickling his senses. The boy had precious little to smile about these days, so he wasn't about to discourage that little tingle of joy he was picking up on.

"I'm simply curious. You can speak freely to me, Eren. Share a bit with your mate."

Eren gave him a shy little glance that made the blond's heart beat a little faster. The kid had that lingering innocence down to an art.

"It's just...when Captain and Squad Commander Mike were arguing, I realized something," hedged Eren.

"Go on," pressed Erwin, glancing over his shoulder at the troupe following them. Levi was at the forefront of the formation with Mike, and his Special Ops team followed behind the two of them with Jean. "Don't censor yourself with me, Eren."

The teenager hesitated a second longer, and then he shrugged and took up the reins with both hands. "It's just...I think that I identify with Captain Levi more than either of us knew. We both have a sort of rivalry with an alpha. I always feel like I've got to prove something with Jean, and now I know I'm not the only omega that's in that situation. Does that make any sense, or am I just crazy?"

Erwin thought on it, as he frequently did with every situation that crossed his path. He had no idea what life must be like for an omega; particularly one as young as Eren. It was difficult for him to imagine or empathize, but he did have sincere respect for Levi and Eren both. Of all the omegas he had met in his life—which weren't many at all—he could honestly say that those two were the fiercest, and the most tenacious with their convictions.

"I think it makes sense," answered the commander after turning the matter over in his mind. He smiled at Eren. "You needn't prove yourself though, Eren. You've already demonstrated your mettle in the field."

"Maybe," sighed the shifter doubtfully. He looked at Erwin with admiring green eyes. "Not everyone shares that opinion though, sir. Not everyone is as fair-minded as you are."

"I would say that I'm more practical than 'fair-minded'," corrected Erwin gently. "When a soldier goes above and beyond the call of duty, I've got no care for what type they are. I understand that boyhood rivalries can't be so easily dropped, however."

"Captain Levi and Mike have known each other that long?" Eren blinked endearingly, the very picture of surprise.

"No," explained Erwin. He shot a look over his shoulder at the omega in question, taking note of Levi's deceptively bored expression. "But they've been crossing swords for years. I honestly think Levi harbors resentment for Mike because he was the one to bring him down years ago, when we tracked the captain and his gang and captured them for recruitment."

Eren's eyes widened. "Whoa. He brought him down? I never knew! I didn't think _anyone_ could bring the captain down."

"Your sense of loyalty is charming," chuckled Erwin. "Granted, Levi is a force to be reckoned with by anyone's standards; but he is, after all, only human. The truth is he got cocky. He and his companions were deliberately set up and it was his plan to get captured all along, to get close to me. He wasn't planning to be beaten so easily, however. His being overwhelmed by an alpha three times his size wasn't part of his act. I could see that clearly once we had him subdued and I questioned him."

Now Eren's eyes were practically bugging out. "Wait, he _planned_ to get captured? I've heard some rumors about how he joined the scouts, but I didn't know this! Why was he trying to get close to you?"

"To kill me," answered the commander casually. "Eren, watch where you're going. You nearly ran your horse into that tree."

Eren righted his trajectory, still clearly baffled. "So Captain Levi was an assassin? Why did he try to kill you?"

"I orchestrated the entire thing," explained Erwin calmly. "I'd heard rumors of a man in the Underground that could do amazing things with ODM gear. Upon confirmation of these rumors, I knew I had to have him in our ranks. I also knew that a thug would not willingly join Survey Corps without the right incentive, so I resorted to rather under-handed means to recruit him. Levi and his gang set out to allow themselves to be captured and recruited, so that he could get close enough to me to assassinate me and collect the bounty."

Erwin shrugged. "I took a huge gamble. He very nearly succeeded, even after discovering that it was a bogus job and a setup. The deaths of his two friends on their first expedition surely didn't help to temper his fury. To this day, I'm still uncertain as to how I managed to convince him to join our cause. He had every reason to kill me, yet he didn't go through with it."

Erwin took his mind off the past, and he looked at his mate to find Eren staring at him with open shock. He sighed. He hadn't meant to let himself go so much. There was something about being mated to this young man that caused Erwin to feel a compulsion for honesty with him, though.

"I am a dangerous, dangerous man," said the commander without rancor. "I'm ruthless, and I'll stop at nothing to secure humanity's freedom. My moral compass is questionable, at best. I will manipulate, lie and cheat my way to success, and I will walk over the bodies of my own men to do so. You believe yourself to be a monster because you can change into a titan, but the true monsters are common men, Eren."

The young man seemed to struggle inwardly, and Erwin hated himself for revealing the naked truth to him. He didn't want Eren to shrink away from him with fear and loathing. He wanted to be what the boy thought he was; a golden hero leading the way to a better future. Erwin couldn't allow that romantic notion to say in place, though. If Eren Jaeger was to love him, he needed to know exactly what he was, sans whimsical fantasy.

"I know how dangerous you are, sir," Eren finally answered, and the commander felt his chest constrict.

He'd succeeded in completely wrecking an impressionable, brave young man's image of him. It hurt.

* * *

They arrived at the district, and Eren watched as his alpha secured a coach for himself, Mike and Jean. His heart was aching over the quiet, stoic expression on Erwin's face. It had cost the man to be so open with him during their journey here. In fact, Erwin wouldn't even look at him after confessing to him that way. Eren hurt inside, trying to imagine what it would feel like to carry so many burdens. He'd never expected the commander to be so brutally frank about himself, and though Eren didn't doubt for a moment that his mate would stop at nothing to achieve his goals, he'd detected the self-loathing in the commander's bald statements.

Erwin hated himself.

Eren looked at Levi pleadingly. The captain was standing next to him, holding the reins of his horse. In response to the shifter's blatantly requesting gaze, Levi gave a silent nod, and he took Eren and Erwin's horses' reins from him.

"Go get him, shitty brat," muttered Levi.

"Thank you, sir."

Eren took off without hesitation, coming up behind Erwin as the commander finished signing the paperwork at the stage coach booth and paid the operator for the services. Eren boldly slid his arms around the taller man's waist from behind, choosing to ignore the fact that there were people around. He felt Erwin's powerful frame stiffen for a moment, and then relax. Eren spoke softly against his lover's shoulder, getting the words out before they could shrivel and die in his throat.

"You aren't a monster, Commander. The world is harsh, and we've all done things we've regretted. We do them because we _have_ to, in order to survive. Please think about that while you're away, and know that I'm not repelled by what you've told me."

Erwin turned around to face him, and his attractive features betrayed a blend of amazement and what Eren could only describe as sorrow. The alpha glanced at their fellow scouts, waiting silently near Levi. He then turned his bright blue gaze to Eren, and he smiled softly. He cupped the young omega's face in his palms, and he whispered to him.

"As I've said before: you're not only humanity's hope, but my own as well. Thank you, Eren. You've given me reason to re-evaluate myself, and I appreciate your compassion."

"Would you just fucking kiss him and get it over with?" complained Levi in the background, clearly fed-up with all the drama.

Erwin chuckled softly in response to the captain's ire. "Well Eren, should I? It's technically not very professional of me to kiss my subordinate in the open, but given the circumstances..."

Eren tossed aside his impression that the alpha was getting a little corny with the speeches. He'd started it, after all. He never would have guessed that Erwin Smith had such a poetic side, before they'd gotten intimate. Eren cupped the back of the commander's head to draw him down for a deep, satisfying kiss. He ignored the groan he heard from Jean in the background, along with Petra's scandalized giggle. He didn't care what anyone thought; this was going to be his last kiss to share with Erwin for who knew how long.

When they finally broke apart, Eren looked behind him to see the captain checking his pocket watch. He flushed, abruptly regaining his sense of shame. Levi had agreed to let him accompany Erwin to the district, not to stand there watching them suck face.

"Well, have a safe trip!" Eren practically fled from his mate to rejoin the Levi squad, and he shot Jean a warning glare when the taller boy smirked at him in passing. "Not one fucking word, horse-face."

"Did I say anything, psychopath?" Jean shot back.

Nanaba cleared her throat, and both young men dropped the subject—not so much because of the squad leader's warning noise, but because of the glare Levi affixed both of them with.

* * *

-To be continued

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> End of chapter recap:
> 
> Eren: "Oh, thank gawd! I'm not pregnant!"
> 
> Erwin: "...I see."
> 
> Eren: "Wait, were you hoping I would be?"
> 
> Erwin (looking away): "No, of course not."
> 
> Levi: (눈_눈) "Erwin's turning into a big emo sook."
> 
> Hange: "Oh, come on. I think you're exaggerating a bit."
> 
> Levi: "Think so? Then why did I catch him plucking flower petals and saying: 'he loves me, he loves me not' the other day?"
> 
> Hange: "...okay, maybe he's just a little whipped."
> 
> Levi: "I must put a stop to this."
> 
> Erwin: "Levi, I want your squad and Eren to accompany me to the next district to catch a coach. I'd like a nice send-off from my cute little under-aged omega."
> 
> Levi: "Shit. We're doomed."
> 
> Hange: "I'm not there to see it, but it's so cute!" (￢ε￢　)
> 
> Eren: "Wow, the commander is really kind of cheesy right now. Did I break him or something?"
> 
> Levi: "YES."


End file.
